UCLA Women, Pepperdine Men Make Net Gains

The top teams in college women’s tennis form an elite circle into which other teams rarely are allowed entry.

For the last three years, UCLA has been a conspicuous absentee. After finishing among the top three teams at the NCAA tournament from 1988-91, the Bruins fell out of the loop, finishing tied for fifth place in 1992 and tied for ninth place in 1993 and 1994.

But with a No. 2 team ranking--its highest since 1991--UCLA has returned to a position of prominence among the nation’s perennial heavyweights.

“The only difference in the mix in the last three years is that we’re back in the mix and happy to be back,” said Bill Zaima, UCLA coach.

UCLA is led by top-ranked Jane Chi and third-ranked Keri Phebus, the best Nos. 1 and 2 singles combination in the country.

Chi, a junior, was hampered by an elbow injury last season, when she advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA singles tournament. Chi has improved dramatically from her freshman season, when she finished ranked No. 69.

Phebus, a junior from Corona del Mar High, is accustomed to competing against the nation’s top players. She was the highest-ranked junior player ever to enter UCLA. She was ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 12-, 14- and 16-and-under age groups and No. 2 in 18-and-under.

But Phebus’ college career caught an early snag. An infection prevented her from playing in the NCAA tournament as a freshman. The next season, the NCAA failed to seed her in the singles tournament, even though she had finished the season ranked seventh.

But Phebus, who has nine relatives who have gone to UCLA, didn’t give up--she became UCLA’s first NCAA finalist and only the second unseeded singles finalist in the tournament’s 13-year history.

In doubles, the Bruins are led by Phebus and partner Susie Starrett, who are ranked No. 5. Chi and her sister, freshman Stephanie Chi, are ranked No. 8.

Besides talent, UCLA has the positive team chemistry that has been lacking among recent Bruin squads. Paige Yaroshuk, the team captain, is ranked No. 99, well below the team’s top players, but Zaima calls her “the Ed O’Bannon of our team” because of her leadership.

UCLA is 12-2 overall and 3-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference. The Bruins have been beaten only by top-ranked Georgia (11-0) and No. 5 Arizona (11-3, 4-2 in Pac-10 play).

After playing host to No. 46 Harvard (6-3) in a nonconference match on March 31, UCLA will play three conference matches, at home against No. 13 USC (6-8, 1-3) on April 1 and away to No. 3 Stanford (11-2, 3-0) and No. 8 Cal (6-4, 0-3), April 7-8.

The Bruins may get the opportunity to contend for the NCAA title before a Southland crowd at Pepperdine, which will play host to the NCAA tournament, May 12-20.

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The Pepperdine men’s tennis team is ranked No. 4, and Coach Allen Fox gains the most satisfaction from looking down at his local rivals, No. 5 UCLA and No. 7 USC.

“That’s a big deal to us,” Fox said. “If you are No. 1 in town, you’re pretty good. That’s second-best to winning the NCAA.”

Pepperdine (15-2) has split two matches with UCLA (12-2) and also has defeated USC (6-4) this season.

The Waves are led by Charles Auffray, a senior ranked No. 27, and a group of sophomores that has shown much improvement--No. 32 Simon Aspelin, No. 37 Chris Hill and No. 99 Troy Budgen.