Yaroshuk’s game finally comes to a head

Thursday, April 11, 1996

Senior netter caps injury-filled career with stellar seasonBy
Hye Kwon

Daily Bruin Staff

There’s something inherently sacred about a tennis court. It’s a
place where trash-talking between players is rarely a problem, and
where decorum says you must raise your hand in apology when you hit
a winner off the net cord. The hard court is also a place where
making noise in the cheap seats will most definitely prompt a
"quiet please, thank you" from the chair umpire.

However, if you ask Paige Yaroshuk of the UCLA women’s tennis
team, these court mannerisms do not coincide with intensity,
competitiveness and attitude.

At no time was Yaroshuk’s philosophy more apparent than at last
year’s match against Stanford in Palo Alto. Struggling at the No. 3
position, Yaroshuk vented her frustration during a change-over by
sailing a ball in the stands and off Cardinal coach Frank Brennan’s
forehead.

"He was heckling me from behind the wall," Yaroshuk said. "What
happened was that only his head was above the netting. And honest
to God, I was trying to hit the ball into the netting, but
unfortunately it hit (Brennan) square on the head."

Since then, apologetic letters on Yaroshuk’s part and subsequent
conversations during Brennan’s visit to Los Angeles have mended
their relationship. But the lasting impression from the incident is
that Yaroshuk is a competitor who won’t back down from anyone.

"I think that’s reflective of my personality," Yaroshuk said. "I
remember (UCLA head coach) Bill (Zaima) telling me to tone it down
and telling me that it’s not helping me out there. But as much as I
try to tone it down, I can’t do it."

In what is her fifth year at UCLA, little has changed as far as
Yaroshuk’s court mannerisms are concerned. One thing that has
changed, however, is Yaroshuk’s performance on the court.

Competing at the No. 2 spot for most of the season, the Miami
native has accumulated a dual match record of 14-2 and 21-6,
including individual and tournament matches. In the latest
Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s individual rankings, Yaroshuk
holds down the No. 28 spot.

In doubles, the combination of Yaroshuk and Keri Phebus is
ranked No. 3 in the nation with a 13-3 overall record. Their
biggest accomplishment this season was winning the flight-one
doubles championship at the Pac-10 Indoors.

"I think the success is a combination of a lot of things,"
Yaroshuk said. "When I found out at the beginning of the season
that I was going to play at No. 2, I was questioning myself whether
I can hold my own there. Now, I go out on the court and expect to
win."

Prior to this season, Yaroshuk’s best season was her 1995
campaign in which she went 10-11 at the No. 3 spot. Hardly the
numbers expected from a player Zaima started recruiting from age
14, but to say that injuries have contributed to unfulfilled
promises might be an understatement.

The misfortune started in high school when Yaroshuk underwent
nerve surgery on her right elbow. Two years later, she had a
shoulder injury which forced her to redshirt what was supposed to
be her junior year. Then there was a torn cartilage in one of her
knees, and most recently, a pulled stomach suffered this year on
the Arizona road trip.

"I wonder what could have happened if those injuries didn’t
happen, but I think to myself that things could be worse," Yaroshuk
said. "At least those injuries were fixable."

According to Yaroshuk, an important phase of her maturing
process was the redshirt year in 1994, which helped her see things
in a different light. The rehabilitation process was rigorous and
physically exhausting, but at the end of the long tribulation,
Yaroshuk had obtained a renewed love for the game.

"I didn’t like watching the team play, but I think I gained a
lot," Yaroshuk said. "The next year when I came back, I didn’t take
it for granted and appreciated playing tennis more."

With the emotions of playing her last home match out of the way,
Yaroshuk now has her eyes firmly set on the NCAA championships in
May. The Bruins (15-4) have three road matches remaining on their
regular schedule which will likely prove to be crucial in preparing
the team for the rigors of playing in the nationals on the
road.

The four losses that No. 6 UCLA has been handed so far in the
season have come from higher-ranked opponents. And recently, the
Bruins almost succeeded in beating No. 2 Stanford in singles before
self-destructing. This means high expectations hover over the
Bruins as they strive to garner the school’s first national
championship. But being the cagey veteran that Yaroshuk has become,
she knows to approach the postseason with extreme caution.

"Crazy things always happen in the playoffs," Yaroshuk said.
"Hopefully none of that will happen to us."

ANDREW SCHOLER/Daily Bruin

Paige Yaroshuk’s best single-season record was 10-11 at the No.
3 singles position. This year, she is 21-6, mostly at No. 2
singles.