Busy weekend awakens hibernating Bruins

Busy weekend awakens hibernating Bruins

W. tennis shifts into high gear to prepare for rigorous
tourney

By Hye Kwon

Daily Bruin Staff

It’s been a relatively long hiatus for the UCLA women’s tennis
team, which hasn’t seen action in 11 days. Starting Thursday, the
Bruins will have to shift to high gear once again as they take on
three opponents in as many days.

On the surface, this weekend might look like a scheduling
mistake. After all, Nevada-Las Vegas and Pepperdine are nationally
ranked and UC Irvine is new and improved from last year.

But considering the fact that the Bruins (3-1 overall, 2-1
Pacific 10) have the National Team Indoors coming up next week,
this weekend’s matches might serve as a warm-up for the rigors of
tournament play.

"It’s going to give us a good idea of how it will be at the
National Indoors," assistant coach Stella Sampras said. "And that’s
why we scheduled the three matches one after another."

* * *

After finishing as the top qualifier at the regionals, Keri
Phebus was supposed to compete in the Rolex Indoor Tournament at
Dallas, Tex. last weekend. However, citing an unspecified medical
reason, Phebus pulled out of the tournament.

Last year, Phebus was a finalist at the Rolex when she lost to
former teammate Jane Chi in the championship match. This season’s
absence may result in a drop in the rankings for No. 3 Phebus.

"She’ll probably be penalized in her ranking because of the
absence," Sampras said. "But these rankings really don’t mean much
except for the one at the end."

Arizona’s Vicky Maes and Kylie Hunt of Kansas, fourth- and
fifth-seeded players in the tournament, respectively, were the
finalists at the Rolex Indoors. In the championship match, Hunt
recorded a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 upset victory over Maes.

* * *

Paige Yaroshuk, who suffered a pulled stomach in the match
against Arizona State, is close to being fully recovered and will
be back in action this weekend. It’s doubtful that the senior
right-hander will play in all three of this weekend’s matches, but
will make an appearance against 15th-ranked Pepperdine on
Saturday.

"We had her practicing just once a day without any serves,"
Sampras said. "I guess we’re just trying to monitor the practices
so that she’ll be able to play in the matches."

* * *

The coaching staff has been experimenting with different doubles
combinations to begin the season, but the lineups are beginning to
solidify. This week’s lineup will pair up Phebus and Yaroshuk at
the No. 1 position, Stephanie Chi and Brandi Freudenberg at the No.
2, and Anicia Mendez and Kelly Rudolph at the No. 3 position.

FRED HE/Daily Bruin

Paige Yaroshuk will return to limited action this weekend for
UCLA women’s tennis.

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