Colorado State tennis has shown signs of improvement in every dual, with Sunday being no exception. Despite the 4-2 loss to San Diego State, the Rams fought hard.
CSU put it all onto the court, fighting to the end of every match with grit and determination. It kept matches close and never let the odds feel against them.
“I’m proud of our fight — it was a close one against a really good conference team,” coach Mai-Ly Tran said. “They looked great — they just had an opportunity and missed it, but it just shows how good we are in that situation.”
Viktoryia Zhadzinskaya faced a familiar rematch in her single. Facing Zoe Olmos, the past only motivated Zhadzinskaya.
“I played against this girl last year (in the) final match in conference,” Zhadzinskaya said “It was our deciding match for the team, and I lost it in three sets.”
The match was electric. Both sides had something to prove and were ready to fight with everything to win. The back and forth had fans filled with anticipation as the match held its highs and lows.
After winning the first set 6-3, Zhadzinskaya lost set two 6-4. Set three was marked with suspense. If Zhadzinskaya lost, the whole dual would be over. She needed to win for the team and herself.
“I was extra motivated to get that revenge,” Zhadzinskaya said. “Definitely had a bit of nerves here and there, but I would say I’m proud of myself for stepping up at the end and being aggressive and brave in those nervous moments.”
The third set ended up going to 5-5, but no nerves got to Zhadzinskaya. She won the next two games back-to-back and secured her revenge.
Meanwhile, Sarah Weekley and Victoria Erechtchenko continued their domination as a double during the dual. The pair swiftly won their match 6-3 to secure an early win for the team.
The pairing has continued to improve week after week. With their win against SDSU, they moved to a 4-1 record within the conference.
“I think everyone fought really well today,” Weekley said. “We gave it our all. We left everything out there.”
Weekley carried the momentum from her double into her single match. She secured a win after fighting with everything she had for two sets.
Her first set went into an overtime, which saw Weekley down against her opponent. Although everything felt against her, Weekley dug deep and came back to show she is a star.
“I was down 5-1 in the tie break.” Weekley said. “I just kept on grinding, kept on trying to hit balls deep and stay aggressive, and it worked out.”
After the strenuous first set, Weekley came into the second set and cleaned things up with a 6-4 win.
“I have confidence in our team,” Zhadzinskaya said. “Even though we were down a player for all these matches, I think this result shows how hard can we fight and how tough we are. Even though it’s a loss, it should lift us up for the next matches and build up confidence that we’re still capable.”
With the odds stacked against them, the Rams have exceeded expectations every week within conference play.
Issues with injury are ever-presently working against the Rams. The uphill battle the team faces every match showcases the grit the team has built up through their trials this season. Despite everything against them, they keep fighting and giving their all at every opportunity.
Reach Mason Ford at sports@collegian.com or on X @mason_ford2891.
