McPeak & Arce - The Long Summer of 1998

by Rick Capone

For Release: July 18, 1998

NEW YORK, N. Y. - The summer of 1998 has probably been a long and frustrating one for Holly McPeak and her partner, Lisa Arce.

With the Women's Professional Volleyball Association (WPVA) tour not running, the USA's best women Beach Volleyball team has no domestic tour to play on and only seven FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournaments to play.

So how will the two best women beach volleyball players do without a lot of competitive play behind them as they come to New York for the 1998 Goodwill Games?

If their record is any indication, they will be right in the hunt for the gold medal. Here's why.

So far in 1998 they have played three FIVB tournaments and have had only moderate success - ninth in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, third in Toronto, Canada and ninth in Vasto, Italy. And while those finishes are still nothing to be ashamed of and even considered good for a lot of players, for McPeak and Arce, once the No. 1 team in the world, they are disappointing. For them, losing is not an option and that will drive them to do better.

For the last year-and-a-half, McPeak and Arce were the most successful team on the WPVA tour. The first year they played together was in 1996 when they joined up during the Olympic year when McPeak and Reno were having their troubles.

During that 1996 season, they won four of the final events of that season. In 1997, they won seven of the WPVA events that season, the most of any team. They also participated in seven FIVB events, winning two times, and finishing third four times and third one time.

MePeak was voted the WPVA's most valuable player and top defender for three-straight seasons (1995-97). All well earned awards because since 1995, she has been, arguably, the best player on the United States' women's tour.

In 1995, she first teamed with Reno, and together, they dominated the WPVA, winning eight of 14 events that season together. They also won six FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour events together. At that time, not many teams could compete with them. Between McPeak's determination, competitive spirit, and never-say-die defense style and her determination and Reno's massive block at the net, they were on their way to historic possibilities in the sport.

In the 1995 offseason though, they split up as a team. The reasons were never really explained, but that doesn't matter as it between the players anyway. However, because of international volleyball rules, they had already qualified as a team for the Olympics, so they were obligated to play together or seek Olympic berths through the Trials.

It was a tough start of the 1996 season for the McPeak/Reno tandem. Their team chemistry just wasn't the same, but they did manage to win four events on the WPVA tour. However, their Olympic experience was not a happy one as they finished in fifth-place.

As soon as the Olympics ended though, McPeak teamed up with her old friend, Arce, and she never looked back. McPeak could have complained and whined about her Olympic experience, but she didn't. She was the ultimate professional. She put the past behind her and just kept moving forward. And together with Arce, she also just went on winning.

This year is another challenge for not only McPeak and Arce, but for all of the women beach volleyball players in the United States as they try to get their sport reorganized and reestablished for next year. In the meantime, they keep on practicing and they keep on playing as much as possible.

Without the top level competition however, it is difficult for them to stay in top playing form, which is evidenced by their finishes in this year's three FIVB events. They are currently ranked sixth on the FIVB tour, a ranking that they undoubtedly are unhappy with.

The other teams playing in the Goodwill Games know better though, then to overlook the duo of McPeak and Arce. They are still the best players in the United States and they will be ready to play in these Goodwill Games. It is the biggest event of the summer for them, an event that will be televised internationally, and they will not want to make a bad impression.

With McPeak leading the way, and Arce playing as good as ever, don't be too surprised if they are standing on top of the medal stand at the end of these games.