WPVA - San Diego, California - May 31-June 1, 1997

May 31 - June 1
WPVA San Diego Open
San Diego, California

SUNDAY RESULTS

Arce/McPeak win Mercedes-Benz Open

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - Top-seeded Lisa Arce and Holly McPeak won their second-straight Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour event here Sunday (June 1) by capturing the $50,000 Mercedes-Benz Open Presented by Cybergenics at Mariner's Point.

The fifth of 14 events on the 1997 Evian Tour, the Mercedes-Benz Open was staged on five sand courts at Mariner's Point on Mission Bay as the Women's Professional Volleyball Association returned to San Diego for the eighth-straight season. Arce and McPeak, who have now won six of the last nine Evian Tour events, downed second-seeded Barbra Fontana and Linda Hanley 15-4 to share the $11,000 first-place.

The win was the second-straight by Arce and McPeak over Fontana and Hanley in a 1997 Evian Tour title match as the WPVA's top-ranked team downed Fontana and Hanley 18-16 to win the Austin, Tex. stop two weeks ago (May 18).

Fontana and Hanley, who had to play five matches Sunday compared to Arce and McPeak's three, split $8,100 for second. The fourth-place finishers in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, Fontana and Hanley advanced to the finals with a 15-8 win over third-seeded Karrie Poppinga and Angela Rock.

Arce and McPeak have now won seven of 10 career meetings with against Fontana and Hanley as pair captured their eighth Evian Tour title together and ninth overall pro title. Arce and McPeak advanced to the finals with a 15-5 win over eighth-seeded Gail Castro and Gayle Stammer.

Ranked third on the international beach circuit, Arce and McPeak have now defeated Fontana and Hanley in five of six title meetings since August, 1996. The title was McPeak's 20th on the Evian Tour and 43rd in her pro career. Arce has eight domestic titles and nine overall as a pro.

Poppinga and Rock earned their third-straight third-place finish by downing Castro and Stammer 15-6 to share the $5,700. Castro and Stammer, who had to play five matches Sunday, split $4,100 for fourth-place.

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - Here are results from Sunday's (June 1) final rounds of the $50,000 Mercedes-Benz Open Presented by Cybergenics at Mariner's Point on Mission Bay:

Contender's bracket, fourth-round (losers eliminated, place 9th, split $1,575) - Elaine Roque, Malibu, Calif./Dennie Shupryt-Knoop, Chicago, Ill.-Leucadia, Calif. (4) vs. Lynda Johnson, Gresham, Ore.-San Diego, Calif./Jeanne Reeves, San Diego, Calif. (11), 15- 12; Gail Castro, Cardiff by the Sea, Calif./Gayle Stammer, San Antonio, Tex.-La Jolla, Calif. (8) def. Linda Chisholm, Van Nuys, Calif./Deb Richardson, Minneapolis, Calif. (7), 16-14; Barbra Fontana, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Linda Hanley, Pacific Palisades, Calif. (2) def. Krista Blomquist, Branford, Conn./Ali Wood, Redondo Beach, Calif. (9), 15-10; Jennifer Meredith, Del Mar, Calif./Leanne Schuster, Mesa, Ariz. (12) def. Danalee Bragado, Honolulu, Hi./Christine Schaefer, Florence, Ky. (6), 15-11. Championship bracket, semi-finals (winners advance to Olympic Crossing semi- finals) - Lisa Arce, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Holly McPeak, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (1) def. Karolyn Kirby, Brookline, Mass.- San Diego, Calif./Liz Masakayan, San Diego, Calif. (5), 15-11; Karrie Poppinga, Mililani, Hi.-Encinitas, Calif./Angela Rock, Leucadia, Calif. (3) def. Pat Keller, Sarasota, Calif./Marla O'Hara, Agoura Hills, Calif. (10), 15-3. Contender's bracket, fifth-round (losers eliminated, place 7th, split $2,375) - Castro/Stammer def. Roque/Shupryt-Knoop, 15-13; Fontana/Hanley def. Meredith/Schuster, 15-9; Contender's bracket, sixth-round (winners advance to Olympic Crossing semi-finals, place 5th, split $3,000) - Castro/Stammer def. Keller/O'Hara, 15-6; Fontana/Hanley def. Kirby/Masakayan, 15-8; Olympic Crossing semi-finals - Arce/McPeak def. Castro/Stammer, 15-5; Fontana/Hanley def. Poppinga/Rock, 15-8; Olympic Crossing consolation (winners place 3rd, split $5,700; losers place 4th; split $4,100) - Poppinga/Rock def. Castro/Stammer, 15-6; Olympic Crossing championship (winners place 1st, split $11,000; losers place 2nd, split $8,100) - Arce/McPeak def. Fontana/Hanley, 15-4.

Saturday Results

KIRBY/MASAKAYAN RENEWAL NETS THREE MERCEDES-BENZ BEACH VOLLEYBALL WINS KELLER/O'HARA SCORED "MAJOR" UPSET OVER OLYMPIANS FONTANA/HANLEY

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - Karolyn Kirby and Liz Masakayan, the winningest team in women's pro beach volleyball history, scored three wins here Saturday (May 31), but it was an upset win by Pat Keller and Marla O'Hara that highlighted action at Mariner's Point on Mission Bay in the $50,000 Mercedes-Benz Open Presented by Cybergenics.

The fifth of 14 events on the Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, the Mercedes-Benz Open is being staged on five sand courts at Mariner's Point on Mission Bay as the Women's Professional Volleyball Association returns to San Diego for the eighth-straight season.

Seeded 10th in the competition, Keller and O'Hara rallied from a 9- 4 deficit against Olympians and second-seeded Barbra Fontana and Linda Hanley to tie the score at 10-10 in the championship bracket quarter-final match.

Keller and O'Hara, who lost a 16-14 decision to Fontana and Hanley in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. three weeks ago, scored the last five points of the match to advance to a championship bracket semi-final match at 9 a.m. (PDT) Sunday against third-seeded Karrie Poppinga and Angela Rock.

Fifth-seeded Kirby and Masakayan scored a 15-13 seed-breakthrough win over fourth-seeded Elaine Roque and Dennie Shupryt-Knoop to advance to the championship bracket semi-finals at 9 a.m. (PDT) Sunday against top-seeded Lisa Arce and Holly McPeak. Competition begins at 8 a.m. Sunday at Mariner's Point with four matches in the fourth-round of the contender's bracket. The Olympic Crossing semi-finals are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Sunday with the final two teams battling for the $11,000 first-place prize at approximately 3 p.m.

Echo Entertainment of Encino, Calif., will be taping the Mercedes- Benz Open Presented by Cybergenics in San Diego for distribution via FOX Sports. Drew Goodman of Denver, Colo., and Maria Barnes of Irvine, Calif., will provide the commentary. The event will be aired the week of June 1.

Kirby and Masakayan, the world's top-ranked team on the 1993-94 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, are playing in their 45th pro beach event together. The pair won 26 titles in 33 Evian Tour starts with an 183-18 match mark together while sharing $323,290 in domestic earnings.

Combined with 11 international events (three event titles), the Kirby/Masakayan tandem has now posted a 223-33 match mark together with 29 championships in 44 starts. Kirby and Masakayan, who won three Evian Tour titles in 1995 when Masakayan was coming back from her fifth knee operation, have split $391,540 in pro earnings together. The partnership dissolved August 26, 1995 when Masakayan, who has had three operations on each of her knees, broke her right kneecap in Portugal.

Kirby had played the first four Evian Tour events of 1997 with Nancy Reno as the pair won the Cybergenics Open in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (May 11) and finished second to Arce and McPeak in the season opener at Miami Beach, Fla. (April 6). Reno is sidelined this week with a shoulder injury.

Arce and McPeak, who have won three of the first four Evian Tour events this season, also won three matches Saturday as did third- seeded Poppinga and Rock. Arce and McPeak downed eighth-seeded Gail Castro and Gayle Stammer 15-6 while Rock and Poppinga defeated sixth-seeded Danalee Bragado and Christine Schaefer 15-10.

Playing in Sunday's opening matches at 8 a.m. are 11th-seeded Lynda Johnson and Jeanne Reeves versus Roque and Shupryt-Knoop, seventh- seeded Linda Chisholm and Deb Richardson playing Castro and Stammer, ninth-seeded Krista Blomquist and Ali Wood challenging Fontana and Hanley, and 12th-seeded Jennifer Meredith and Leanne Schuster facing Bragado and Schaefer.

EVIAN PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL RESULTS/SCHEDULE - MERCEDES-BENZ OPEN

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - Here are results from Saturday's (May 31) opening rounds of the $50,000 Mercedes-Benz Open Presented by Cybergenics at Mariner's Point on Mission:

Championship bracket, first-round - Lisa Arce, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Holly McPeak, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (No. 1-seeded) def. Kelly Spink, Spokane, Wash.-San Diego, Calif./Lisa Westlake, Berkeley, Calif. (39), 15-7; Alicia Chung, Capitola, Calif./Beth Schuler, Grosse Point, Mich. (17) def. Julie James, Houston, Tex./Jeanette Kollasch, Palatine, Ill. (16), 15-6; Krista Blomquist, Branford, Ct./Ali Wood, Redondo Beach, Calif. (9) def. Stacey Kammes, Winfield, Ill./Amy Matthews, Guonee, Ill. (24), 15- 4; Gail Castro, Cardiff by the Sea, Calif./Gayle Stammer, San Antonio, Tex.-La Jolla, Calif. (8) def. Jen Wrightson, San Diego, Calif./Shana Wilson, Dana Point, Calif. (25), 15-5; Karolyn Kirby, Brookline, Mass.-San Diego, Calif./Liz Masakayan, San Diego, Calif. (5) def. Jennifer Marzahl, Houston, Tex./Gina Pillitiere, Akron, Ohio (28), 15-8; Jennifer Meredith, Del Mar, Calif./Leanne Schuster, Mesa, Ariz. (12) def. Evelyn Conley, Playa del Rey, Calif./Erin Deiters, Green Bay, Wisc.-Coronado, Calif. (21), 15-2; Mary Baily, Calabasas, Calif./Helen Reale, New York, N. Y. (20) def. Jackie Campbell, Santa Barbara, Calif./Charlotte Roach, Santa Barbara, Calif. (13), 15-11; Elaine Roque, Malibu, Calif./Dennie Shupryt-Knoop, Chicago, Ill.-Leucadia, Calif. (4) def. Jenny Pavley, Agoura Hills, Calif./Laurie Ruser, Ogallala, Neb. (34), 15- 6; Karrie Poppinga, Mililani, Hi.-Encinitas, Calif./Angela Rock, Leucadia, Calif. (3) def. Deanne Johnson, San Diego, Calif./Gracie Santana, San Diego, Caif. (32), 15-7; Valinda Hilleary, Littleton, Colo./Monique Oliver, Santa Monica, Calif. (14) def. Liz Pagano, Seattle, Wash.-San Diego, Calif./Kristen Schritter, Omaha, Neb.-San Diego, Calif. (19), 15-11; Lynda Johnson, Gresham, Ore.-San Diego, Calif./Jeanne Reeves, San Diego, Calif. (11) def. Rhonda Kottke, Minneapolis, Minn./Darina Staneva, Las Vegas, Nev. (22), 15-13; Danalee Bragado, Honolulu, Hi./Christine Schaefer, Florence, Ky.- San Diego, Calif. (6) def. Julia Celotto, Eureka, Calif./Veronica Sanchez, Santa Monica, Calif. (27), 15-7; Linda Chisholm, Van Nuys, Calif./Deb Richardson, Minneapolis, Minn. (7) def. Carrie Busch, Milwaukee, Wisc./Julie Sprague, Walnut Creek, Calif. (26), 15-9; Pat Keller, Sarasota, Fla./Marla O'Hara, Agoura Hills, Calif. (10) def. Ana Franca, Los Angeles, Calif./Michelle Morse, Central Point, Ore. (23), 15-6; Wendy Fletcher, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Nancy Mason, Belleville, Ill. (18) def. Shaney Fink, Los Angeles, Calif./Marsha Miller, Henrietta, N. Y. (15), 15-5; Barbra Fontana, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Linda Hanley, Pacific Palisades, Calif. (2) def. Valerie Duringer, Redondo Beach, Calif./Kristy Innocent, Dana Point, Calif. (31), 15-1. Championship bracket, second-round - Arce/McPeak def. Chung/Schuler, 15-10; Castro/Stammer def. Blomquist/Wood, 15-3; Kirby/Masakayan def. Meredith/Schuler, 15-3; Roque/Shupryt-Knoop def. Baily/Reale, 15-9; Poppinga/Rock def. Hilleary/Oliver, 15-11; Bragado/Schaefer def. L. Johnson/Reeves, 15-5; Keller/O'Hara def. Chisholm/Richardson, 15-9; Fontana/Hanley def. Fletcher/Mason, 15-4. Contender's bracket, first-round (losers eliminated, place 25th) - Spink/Westlake def. James/Kollasch, 15-3; Wilson/Wrightson def. Kammes/Matthews, 15-9; Conley/Deiters def. Marzahl/Pillitiere, 15-7; Campbell/Roach def. Pavley/Ruser, 15-10; D. Johnson/Santana def. Pagano/Schritter, 15- 7; Kottke/Staneva def. Celotto/Sanchez, 15-2, Franca/Morse def. Busch/Sprague, 15-8; Duringer/Innocent def. Fink/Miller, 15-12. Contender's bracket, second-round (losers eliminated, place 17th) - Hilleary/Oliver def. Spink/Westlake, 15-7; L. Johnson/Reeves def. Wilson/Wrightson, 15-5; Chisholm/Richardson vs. Conley/Deiters; Fletcher/Mason def. Campbell/Roach, 15-13; Chung/Schuler def. D. Johnson/Santana, 15-3; Blomquist/Wood def. Kottke/Staneva, 15-6; Meredith/Schuster def. Franca/Morse, 15-4; Baily/Reale def. Duringer/Innocent, 15-8. Championship bracket, quarter-finals - Arce/McPeak def. Castro/Stammer, 15-6; Kirby/Masakayan def. Roque/Shupryt-Knoop, 15-13; Poppinga/Rock def. Bragado/Schaefer, 15-10; Fontana/Hanley vs. Keller/O'Hara. Contender's bracket, third-round (3 p.m., losers eliminated, place 13th, split $1,012,50) - L. Johnson/Reeves def. Hilleary/Oliver, 16-14; Chisholm/Richardson def. Fletcher/Mason, 15-10; Blomquist/Wood def. Chung/Schuler, 15-12; Meredith/Schuster def. Baily/Reale, 15-9.

Here's Sunday's schedule:

Contender's bracket, fourth-round (8 a.m., losers eliminated, place 9th, split $1,575) - L. Johnson/Reeves vs. Roque/Shupryt-Knoop; Chisholm/Richardson vs. Castro/Stammer; Blomquist/Wood vs. Fontana/Hanley; Meredith/Schuster vs. Bragado/Schaefer; Championship bracket, semi-finals ( 9 a.m., winners advance to Olympic Crossing semi-finals) - Arce/McPeak vs. Kirby/Masakayan; Poppinga/Rock vs. Keller/O'Hara; Contender's bracket, fifth-round (9:30 a.m., losers eliminated, place 7th, split $2,375); Contender's bracket, sixth-round (10:30 a.m., winners advance to Olympic Crossing semi-finals, place 5th, split $3,000); Olympic Crossing semi-finals (11:30 a.m.); Olympic Crossing consolation (winners place 3rd, split $5,700; losers place 4th; split $4,100); Olympic Crossing championship (winners place 1st, split $11,000; losers place 2nd, split $8,100).

Friday Results

PAVLEY/RUSER, JOHNSON/SANTANA TOP QUALIFIERS FOR MERCEDES-BENZ OPEN

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - The teams of Jenny Pavley/Laurie Ruser and Deanne Johnson/Gracie Santana paced the qualifying here Friday (May 30) as 15 teams battled for the final four berths in this weekend's $50,000 Mercedes-Benz Open Presented by Cybergenics.

The fifth of 14 events on the Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, the Mercedes-Benz Open is being staged on five sand courts at Mariner's Point on Mission Bay as the Women's Professional Volleyball Association returns to San Diego for the eighth-straight season.

Seeded 34th in the competition, Pavley and Ruser advanced as the 29th-seeded tandem in the main draw after winning three qualifying matches with a plus-23 point differential. Pavley and Ruser face fourth-seeded Elaine Roque and Dennie Shupryt-Knoop in Saturday's opening round of the championship bracket.

Johnson and Santana, who entered the Mercedes-Benz Open as the 32nd-seeded team, also won three qualifying matches Friday with a plus-13 point differential to earned the 30th seed in the main draw. Johnson and Santa face third-seeded Karrie Poppinga and Angela Rock Saturday.

The other two qualifying teams Friday were Valerie Duringer/Krista Innocent and Kelley Spink/Lisa Westlake, who will play second- seeded and Olympians Barbra Fontana and Linda Hanley. Duringer and Innocent play top-seeded Lisa Arce and Holly McPeak in Saturday's opening match on center court. A total of 51 teams and 75 individuals have now attempted to qualify for 1997 Evian Tour main draws. A total of 17 different teams and 30 different players have now qualified for spots in the 32-team main draws at the first four events.

Competition begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at Mariner's Point with six rounds of competition. Twelve (12) teams advance to Sunday's final rounds at 8 a.m. The Olympic Crossing semi-finals are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Sunday with the final two teams battling for the $11,000 first-place prize at approximately 3 p.m.

Echo Entertainment of Encino, Calif., will be taping the Mercedes- Benz Open Presented by Cybergenics in San Diego for distribution via FOX Sports. Drew Goodman of Denver, Colo., and Maria Barnes of Irvine, Calif., will provide the commentary. The event will be aired the week of June 1.

Arce and McPeak are the Evian Tour top-ranked tandem after winning three of the first four events this season in Miami Beach, Fla. (April 6), Deerfield Beach, Fla. (April 20) and Austin, Tex. (May 18). Ranked third internationally on the FIVB Tour, the Arce/McPeak tandem have defeated three different teams for Evian Tour titles. Arce and McPeak rallied from 7-3 and 12-8 deficits to down Kirby and Reno 15-12 for the Miami Beach title.

Arce and McPeak, who have teamed to win six of the last eight Evian Tour events, scored a 15-9 win over Gail Castro and Gayle Stammer to capture the Deerfield Beach stop. Arce and McPeak scored an 18- 16 win over Fontana and Hanley in the Austin finale.

With the three wins, Arce and McPeak are ranked ahead of the Evian Tour tandem of Fontana/Hanley, who held the top ranking entering the 1997 season. Karrie Poppinga and Angela Rock are currently seeded fourth this weekend after posting third-place finishes in the last two events at Lake Buena Vista and Austin.

A shoulder injury to Nancy Reno has caused a new team for Mercedes- Benz Open Presented by Cybergenics as Karolyn Kirby reunites with Liz Masakayan as the fifth-seeded team. The pair is the all-time winningest women's beach tandem with 29 event titles in 44 career pro events. Reno, who had off-season shoulder surgery, reinjured her right shoulder May 18 at the WPVA Austin Open in Texas after falling on it during a match with Kirby against Olympians Barbra Fontana and Linda Hanley. Seeded second in Austin, Kirby and Reno dropped a 15-7 decision to the Fontana/Hanley tandem before being eliminated 15-12 by Karrie Poppinga and Angela Rock.

Prior to Austin, Kirby and Reno won the Cybergenics Open in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., as the pair downed Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson 15-11 in the championship match televised nationally by ABC Sports. Earlier in the Disney event, the Kirby/Reno tandem had eliminated top-seeded Lisa Arce and Holly McPeak 16-14.

EVIAN PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL RESULTS/SCHEDULE - MERCEDES-BENZ OPEN

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - Here are results from Friday's (May 30) qualifying rounds of the $50,000 Mercedes-Benz Open Presented by Cybergenics at Mariner's Point on Mission:

Qualifying first-round - Vicki Bonino, San Diego, Calif./Judy Hissong, Enterprise, Ala.-San Diego, Calif. (37th-seeded) def. Kim Blankinship, Torrance, Calif./Suzanne Radcliffe, Torrance, Calif. (36th-seeded), 15-11; Barbara Nyland, San Diego, Calif./Suzie Turner, San Diego, Calif. (40) def. Barbara Belding, San Diego, Calif./Robin Enciso, San Diego, Calif. (33), 15-10; Deanna Johnson, San Diego, Calif./Gracie Santana, San Diego, Calif. (32) def. Karen Helyer, San Diego, Calif./Caroline Krattli, San Diego, Calif. (41), 15-7; Valerie Duringer, Redondo Beach, Calif./Kristi Innocent, Hermosa Beach, Calif. (31) def. Kathleen Luciano, Venice, Calif./Sharon Rhodes, Los Angeles, Calif. (42), 15-7; Jenny Pavley, Agoura Hills, Calif./Laurie Ruser, Ogallala, Neb. (34) def. Kelley Spink, Los Angeles, Calif./Lisa Westlake, Berkeley, Calif. (39), 15-9; Tiffany Jestadt, Paradise Valley, Ariz./Cherry Simkins, Torrance, Calif. (38) def. Amy Cooper, Aurora, Ill./Bonnie Levin, Miami, Fla. (35), 15-5; Shannon Misek, Denver, Colo./Carrie Romer, Arvada, Colo. (30) vs. Lisa Beaudry, San Diego, Calif./Connie Gibbon, Tucson, Ariz. (15), 15-7. Qualifying second-round - Bonino/Hissong def. Lucy Han, Santa Monica, Calif./Desiree Leipham, Reardon, Wash. (29), 15-12.; D. Johnson/Santana def. Nyland/Turner, 17-15; Pavley/Ruser def. Duringer/Innocent, 15-4; Jestad/Simkins def. Misek/Romer, 16-14. Qualifying third-round (losers eliminated, place 41st) - Belding/Enciso def. Helyer/Krattli, 15-7; Spink/Westland def. Luciano/Rhodes, 15-5; Cooper/Levin def. Beaudry/Gibbon, 15-4. Qualifying fourth-round (losers eliminated, place 37th) - Duringer/Innocent def. Blankinship/Radcliffe, 15-0; Misek/Romer def. Belding/Enciso, 15-13; Spink/Westlake def. Han/Leipham, 15-7; Cooper/Levin def. Nyland/Turner, 15-8. Qualifying fifth-round (winners advance to main draw) - D. Johnson/Santana def. Bonino/Hissong, 15-12; Pavley/Ruser def. Jestadt/Simpkins, 15-9. Pavley/Ruser (plus-23 point different) advance as the 29th-seeded team. D. Johnson/Santana (plus-13 point differential) advance as the 30th-seeded team. Qualifying sixth- round (losers eliminated, place 35th) - Duringer/Innocent def. Misek/Romer, 15-9; Spink/Westlake def. Cooper/Levin, 15-8. Qualifying seventh-round (winners advance to main draw, losers eliminated, place 33rd) - Duringer/Innocent def. Jestadt/Simkins, 15-1; Spink/Westlake def. Bonino/Hissong, 15-9.

Here's Saturday's schedule: Championship bracket, first-round (9 a.m.) - Lisa Arce, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Holly McPeak, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (1) vs. Spink/Westlake; Julie James, Houston, Tex./Jeanette Kollasch, Palatine, Ill. (16) vs. Alicia Chung, Capitola, Calif./Beth Schuler, Grosse Point, Mich. (17); Krista Blomquist, Branford, Ct./Ali Wood, Redondo Beach, Calif. (9) vs. Stacey Kammes, Winfield, Ill./Amy Matthews, Guonee, Ill. (24); Gail Castro, Cardiff by the Sea, Calif./Gayle Stammer, San Antonio, Tex.-La Jolla, Calif. (8) vs. Jen Wrightson, San Diego, Calif./Shana Wilson, Dana Point, Calif. (25); Karolyn Kirby, Brookline, Mass.-San Diego, Calif./Liz Masakayan, San Diego, Calif. (5) vs. Jennifer Marzahl, Houston, Tex./Gina Pillitiere, Akron, Ohio (28); Jennifer Meredith, Del Mar, Calif./Leanne Schuster, Mesa, Ariz. (12) vs. Evelyn Conley, Playa del Rey, Calif./Erin Deiters, Green Bay, Wisc.-Coronado, Calif. (21); Jackie Campbell, Santa Barbara, Calif./Charlotte Roach, Santa Barbara, Calif. (13) vs. Mary Baily, Calabasas, Calif./Helen Reale, New York, N. Y. (20); Elaine Roque, Malibu, Calif./Dennie Shupryt-Knoop, Chicago, Ill.-Leucadia, Calif. (4) vs. Pavley/Ruster; Karrie Poppinga, Mililani, Hi.-Encinitas, Calif./Angela Rock, Leucadia, Calif. (3) vs. D. Johnson/Santana; Valinda Hilleary, Littleton, Colo./Monique Oliver, Santa Monica, Calif. (14) vs. Liz Pagano, Seattle, Wash.- San Diego, Calif./Kristen Schritter, Omaha, Neb.-San Diego, Calif. (19); Lynda Johnson, Gresham, Ore.-San Diego, Calif./Jeanne Reeves, San Diego, Calif. (11) vs. Rhonda Kottke, Minneapolis, Minn./Darina Staneva, Las Vegas, Nev. (22); Danalee Bragado, Honolulu, Hi./Christine Schaefer, Florence, Ky.-San Diego, Calif. (6) vs. Julia Celotto, Eureka, Calif./Veronica Sanchez, Santa Monica, Calif. (27) Linda Chisholm, Van Nuys, Calif./Deb Richardson, Minneapolis, Minn. (7) vs. Carrie Busch, Milwaukee, Wisc./Julie Sprague, Walnut Creek, Calif. (26); Pat Keller, Sarasota, Fla./Marla O'Hara, Agoura Hills, Calif. (10) vs. Ana Franca, Los Angeles, Calif./Michelle Morse, Central Point, Ore. (23); Shaney Fink, Los Angeles, Calif./Marsha Miller, Henrietta, N. Y. (15) vs. Wendy Fletcher, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Nancy Mason, Belleville, Ill. (18); Barbra Fontana, Manhattan Beach, Calif./Linda Hanley, Pacific Palisades, Calif. (2) vs. Duringer/Innocent.

Championship bracket, second-round (11 a.m.); Contender's bracket, first-round (11 a.m., losers eliminated, place 25th). Contender's bracket, second-round (1 p.m., losers eliminated, place 17th); Championship bracket, quarter-finals (1 p.m.); Contender's bracket, third-round (3 p.m., losers eliminated, place 13th, split $1,012,50).

Here's Sunday's schedule:

Contender's bracket, fourth-round (8 a.m., losers eliminated, place 9th, split $1,575); Championship bracket, semi-finals ( 9 a.m., winners advance to Olympic Crossing semi-finals); Contender's bracket, fifth-round (9:30 a.m., losers eliminated, place 7th, split $2,375); Contender's bracket, sixth-round (10:30 a.m., winners advance to Olympic Crossing semi-finals, place 5th, split $3,000); Olympic Crossing semi-finals (11:30 a.m.); Olympic Crossing consolation (winners place 3rd, split $5,700; losers place 4th; split $4,100); Olympic Crossing championship (winners place 1st, split $11,000; losers place 2nd, split $8,100).

EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. - The Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour returns to San Diego for the eighth-straight season May 30-June 1 at Mariner's Point on Mission Bay. The third-most popular site on the Evian Tour, the WPVA San Diego Open is the fifth of 14 dates on the 1997 Evian Tour. The WPVA San Diego Open will be the first of three Evian Tour events staged in California. The Evian Tour returns to Huntington Beach (June 27-29) and Hermosa Beach (Aug. 8-10).

The WPVA San Diego Open is a "modified" double-elimination event. Depending on the number of entries, a qualifying session is scheduled for 1 p.m. (PDT) May 30 at Mariner's Point to determine the final four spots in the 32-team main draw. Championship competition starts at 9 a.m. on May 31 and at 8 a.m. June 1. Four teams will advance to the Olympic Crossing semi-finals the afternoon of June 1 with the tournament finale set for 3 p.m.

EVIAN TOUR RESUMES; MERCEDES-BENZ OPEN IN SAN DIEGO NEXT

EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. - After an weekend off, the Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour resumes competition Friday (May 30) for the $50,000 Mercedes-Benz Open in San Diego.

The Women's Professional Volleyball Association returns to San Diego for the eighth-straight season as competition opens Friday with qualifying action at Mariner's Point on Mission Bay.

Five volleyball courts will be formed by the WPVA's Operations staff at Mariner's Point that has housed Evian Tour events since 1993 after playing the first three seasons at the Pacific Beach Pier.

Friday's qualifying is set to start at 11 a.m., but could change due to the number of entries. Seeding's for the Mercedes-Benz Open in San Diego will be announced Wednesday at 3 p.m. as the qualifying teams will be competing for the final four berths in the 32-team main draw. Main draw competition begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at Mariner's Point with six rounds of competition.

Twelve (12) teams advance to Sunday's final rounds at 8 a.m. The Olympic Crossing semi-finals are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Sunday with the final two teams battling for the $11,000 first- place prize at approximately 3 p.m.

Echo Entertainment of Encino, Calif., will be taping the Mercedes-Benz Open In San Diego for distribution via FOX Sports. Drew Goodman of Denver, Colo., and Maria Barnes of Irvine, Calif., will provide the commentary. The event will be aired the week of June 1.

Lisa Arce and Holly McPeak are the Evian Tour top-ranked tandem after winning three of the first four events this season in Miami Beach, Fla. (April 6), Deerfield Beach, Fla. (April 20) and Austin, Tex. (May 18).

Ranked third internationally on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, the Arce/McPeak tandem have defeated three different teams for Evian Tour titles. Arce and McPeak rallied from 7-3 and 12-8 deficits to down Karolyn Kirby and Nancy Reno 15-12 for the Miami Beach title.

Arce and McPeak, who have teamed to win six of the last eight Evian Tour events, scored a 15-9 win over Gail Castro and Gayle Stammer to capture the Deerfield Beach stop. After finishing fifth in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., May 11, Arce and McPeak scored an 18-16 win over Olympians Barbra Fontana and Linda Hanley in the Austin finale.

With the three wins, Arce and McPeak are ranked ahead of the Evian Tour tandems of Kirby/Reno and Fontana/Hanley, who held the top ranking entering the 1997 season. Karrie Poppinga and Angela Rock are currently ranked fourth on the WPVA list after posting third-place finishes in the last two events at Lake Buena Vista and Austin.

Poppinga and Rock join Arce and McPeak as the WPVA's top-two teams on the FIVB circuit. Arce and McPeak have finished second and third in the first two international events in 1997 at Brazil and Australia. Poppinga and Rock were fourth in Australia.

The WPVA's most valuable player and top defender the past two seasons, McPeak earned $150,625 in 23 domestic and international events in 1996. McPeak's $88,025 in WPVA 1996 earnings set a single-season mark.

McPeak, who finished fifth in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games with Reno, won nine (five with current partner Arce) overall events in 1996 with one second, seven thirds and three fourths. A winner of 19 Evian Tour events since the start of the 1995 season, McPeak has earned $333,175 in her past 52 professional events, including $165,325 domestically.

Hanley, who was the Evian Tour's top hitter last season, teamed with Fontana to finish fourth in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games after dropping the bronze medal match to Natalie Cook and Keri Pottharst of Australia. The Fontana/Hanley tandem finished the 1996 season as the top-ranked Evian Tour team as the pair won four of 14 domestic events together with five seconds.

Other award winners from last season returning in 1997 are Krista Blomquist (most improved), Lynda Johnson (rookie-of-the- year), Kirby (best setter), Reno (top blocker), Angela Rock (top server), Elaine Roque (sportwomanship) and Dennie Shupryt- Knoop (most inspirational).

Kirby, the WPVA's winningest player ever ($432,884.13 in earnings, 58 event titles and 582 match wins) and Reno both had off-season shoulder surgeries. Reno, the top-ranked player on the 1995-96 international tour, has combined with Kirby to win eight pro beach titles, including a championship at the Cybergenics Open May 11 at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Kirby will be seeking her sixth Evian Tour win in San Diego after capturing the 1991 and 1992 titles with Rock, the 1993 and 1994 crowns with Liz Masakayan, and the 1996 championship with Reno.

Combined with her third-place finishes with Patty Dodd (1990) and Masakayan (1995), Kirby has won 38 of 42 matches in San Diego, including 26-straight from 1991 through three matches in 1995. McPeak and Reno won the 1995 San Diego crown by defeating Hanley and Rock 15-10 in the finals. Kirby and Reno defeated Fontana and Hanley 15-9 in the 1996 title match.