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Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs' Molly Weiss always talks to herself when she plays tennis. The habit grew even more pronounced Thursday in Pueblo under the bright lights of the first day of the state tennis tournament.

"Come on, Molly," Weiss said, speaking at a whisper, but with attitude. "Come on. Pick it up. I'm serious!"

Whether bullied by herself or bolstered by finding comfort with some big-match butterflies, Weiss did pick it up. She rallied from a deficit to force a third set, then cruised to victory. She later dominated in the No. 3 singles quarterfinals to advance to today's state semifinal match, one of five Sailor entries to fight to within two wins of a championship.

The strong showing has Steamboat in position to contend for the team state championship.

"We have five in, and we have a young team that likes to compete. They like each other, and they support each other," Steamboat coach John Aragon said. "If they can continue to do that and believe in themselves - they can play."

Weiss was one of several Steamboat players to overcome major hurdles. The senior, playing in her fourth state tournament but her first as a singles entry, looked lost in the first set and early in the second. Her opponent, Broomfield senior Kristin Erickson, controlled the tempo, sending Weiss hurtling in all directions as she masterfully worked the ball around the court.

Throughout the match, Weiss kept herself buoyed with her self-served advice, and soon she turned it all around.

"When I talk to myself, it gets my anger out, and I can go on to the next point," she said. "I started hitting it harder and hitting it deeper so it was harder for her to change directions. I tried to be the one to change direction."

She rallied for the win and then coasted in the second round, dispatching Elizabeth Young of Fossil Ridge in straight sets.

If Weiss took care of the early excitement, the team's No. 4 doubles squad provided the late excitement, becoming the final semifinal qualifier with a dramatic come-from-behind third set.

Freshmen Claire Parsons and Kaitie Breisch claimed they were nervous, but it didn't show in a 6-2, 6-0 first-round rout. That changed in the second round, facing Morgan Mulshine and Caitlin Spielman of Niwot, when Steamboat lost the first set decisively and barely pulled even by winning the second.

Parsons and Breisch immediately fell behind in the third as far as 5-2 and sat just four points from the consolation bracket.

"We thought we were done," Parsons said, "but, we decided we might as well keep trying to win."

They took the next three games, tying the set on a Breisch ace. The set went to a tiebreaker, and Steamboat took the match when Breisch slammed a return hard over the net, far out of reach of either opponent.

"I told them 'Make them beat you. Stay with it,'" Aragon said. "They woke up, they fought hard, and I'm really proud."

Steamboat's No. 1 doubles team also battled through three sets to advance to the semis. Despite squandering a big lead, Sara Bearss and Kylee Swiggart took the first set, but they struggled through the second, losing in a tiebreak. They roared back and took the third set without dropping a game.

"Wow!" Bearss said afterward. "Being in the semifinals, this feels amazing. This is the first time for both of us."

Alexis Lezin and Valerie Lezin, the No. 3 doubles team, held off a pair from Mullen in the quarterfinals to advance while Steamboat's No. 2 singles player, Shelby Reed, advanced to her first state semifinal with a pair of two-set victories.

Steamboat's only loss on the day came from the No. 2 doubles slot, where Mandy Thielemann and Hayley Richman couldn't follow up on a first-round win. They fell to a pair from Cheyenne Mountain in two sets.

The strong day has Steamboat tied with Cheyenne Mountain with five championship-bracket entries remaining. Niwot still has four.

Semifinals begin at 9 a.m. today.