McPeak-Arce downed

Australians deny 1-2 matchup for beach volleyball gold

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Posted: Saturday August 01, 1998 08:05 PM

Australians Kerri Pottharst and Pauline Manser, who are playing their first year together, upset second-seeded Americans Holly McPeak and Lisa Arce AP

NEW YORK (AP) - Kerri Pottharst and Pauline Manser of Australia upset second-seeded Americans Holly McPeak and Lisa Arce 12-11, 11-12, 12-6 on Saturday to reach the women's beach volleyball final at the Goodwill Games.

They will face top-seeded Shelda Bede and Adriana Behar of Brazil, who lived up to their ranking with a 12-5, 127 semifinal win over Laura Bruschini and Annamaria Solazzi of Italy.

It was a huge win for Pottharst and Manser, who are playing their first year together, and their second over a U.S. team on home sand. They beat Karolyn Kirby and Liz Masakayan in the opening game of pool play.

"One of the things we wanted with today's game was to make a statement," said Pottharst, who combined with Natalie Cook to win the bronze medal at the Atlanta Olympics. "We started this season together with a second in Brazil and we're extremely happy with our new partnership. We're still learning."

McPeak and Arce have won three international tournaments and finished second in last year's world championship. They put together an impressive rally from 10-3 down to win the second set, but never were really in the decisive set, which was played under rally rules - a point on every serve.

"We were fine," McPeak said of facing a third set after the big comeback. "We had the momentum after the second game but then we sat down for five minutes and it was a little difficult to keep it going. We wanted to come right out scoring in the rally and we didn't."

The U.S. team led 3-2 in the third set, but the Australians took the lead for good with the next three points, then closed out the match by scoring the last five points.

This was the first match of either the men's or women's competition to go to the deciding set.

"We don't have the experience of playing rally scoring much," Arce said. "It's a good mental game and your serve has to be on along with the pressure of not making any errors. It makes it more exciting but it's tough to prepare for."

The Brazilians, like McPeak and Arce, went unbeaten in pool play, including a 15-9 victory over Pottharst and Manser, the Australians' only loss.

Bede was obviously bothered by a left knee injury against Italy and she was going to see a doctor Saturday night.

"Everyone could see she is feeling pain and not running so fast," Behar said.

The Brazilians were surprised with their opponent in Sunday's gold-medal match, a team they beat in a final earlier this year.

"We know Australia is a good team and they are very strong," Behar said. "We would have liked to play Holly and Lisa because we are good friends and it would have been fun to play them. But in beach volleyball, someone has to lose and someone has to win. It was a surprise but it was also normal."

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