Arce, McPeak Too Strong for Fontana, Hanley

It was Barbra Fontana and Linda Hanley’s turn to try and stop Lisa Arce and Holly McPeak at Sunday’s Ocean Pacific U.S. Open women’s volleyball final near the Huntington Beach Pier.

Last weekend, Karolyn Kirby and Nancy Reno defeated Arce and McPeak in the finals of the Evian Pro Tour event at Atlantic City.

But try as they might, third-seeded Fontana and Hanley could not handle the assignment, losing to top-seeded Arce and McPeak, 15-9.

It was the sixth tournament victory in eight Women’s Professional Volleyball Assn. events this season for Arce and McPeak, who split $13,200.

Fontana and Hanley took a 3-0 lead, with each scoring a point on blocks against the 6-foot Arce. But Arce and McPeak answered with three consecutive points to tie the score.

Arce and McPeak took their first two-point advantage, 8-6, on a lift call against Fontana and an ace from Arce.

Fontana and Hanley managed to tie the score at 9-9 on a service winner by Hanley, but Arce and McPeak scored the last six points, the final coming on Arce’s tour-best 63rd ace of the season.

Arce and McPeak reached the finals by defeating fourth-seeded Angela Rock and Karrie Poppinga, 15-13, then downing 12th-seeded Marla O’Hara and Ali Wood, 15-1, in the semifinals.