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.