Brazil, USA Remain Unbeaten in Goodwill Games Beach Event

NEW YORK, N. Y. - Brazilians Shelda Bede and Adriana Behar and the United States tandem of Lisa Arce/Holly McPeak remained unbeaten in the 1998 Goodwill Games women's beach volleyball competition here Thursday (July 30) at Wollman Rink in Central Park with victories over teams from Australia and the Czech Republic, respectively.

The Australian tandem of Pauline Manser/Kerri Pottharst dropped a 15-9 decision to the top-seeded Bede and Behar in a 39-minute Group A match.  The Brazilians broke a 3-3 tie to take a 12-3 lead enroute to their second win of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event.

The second-seeded Arce and McPeak, who both reside in Manhattan Beach, Calif., scored a 15-9 win over Eva Celbova and Sona Dosoudilova of the Czech Republic in a 40-minute Group B match to end Thursday's afternoon matches.

The pool player leaders end round-robin play Friday with Bede and Behar facing Karolyn Kirby and Liz Masakayan of the United States at 1:15 p.m. (EDT) in a Group A match. Arce and McPeak play Maike Friedrichsen and Danja Musch of Germany at 6:45 p.m. in the final Group B contest.

Friedrichsen and Musch face Italians Laura Bruschini and Annamarie Solazzi Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Kirby and Masakayan face Kristine Drakich and Guylaine Dumont of Canada at approximately 6:45 p.m. Thursday.

The medal and playoff rounds for the 1998 Goodwill Games starts Saturday with matches schedule for 12 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.  The competition ends Sunday with the Bronze and Gold medal matches starting at 12 p.m. in the $100,000 event.  Sunday's Gold medal team will share the $30,000 first-place prize.