WPVA Names Kirby Most Valuable Player

Karolyn Kirby of San Diego was named the Women’s Professional Volleyball Assn.’s most valuable player for the second consecutive year on Wednesday.

Kirby, 30, won 12 of 17 pro beach tournaments with partner Angela Rock and each woman earned $67,815 in prize money. Rock, a firefighter from San Diego, was named best hitter.

Mira Costa graduate Holly McPeak of Manhattan Beach was named rookie of the year and Liz Masakayan of Redondo Beach was best defensive player. Both athletes were All-American players at UCLA.

Masakayan, 26, won this year’s World Championship title in Las Vegas with partner Linda Chisolm-Carrillo.

Elaine Roque, who won the 1990 World Championship with Nina Matthies, received the sportswomanship and best-blocker awards. The 30-year-old from Malibu had a good season despite shoulder and knee surgery last fall.

“A lot of people felt I wasn’t 100%,” said Roque, who had to wear a knee brace all season. “At first my knee was huge. I was just hoping to make it through the summer.”

Roque teamed with Janice Harrer in 1991 and reached the final of four tournaments.

Matthies, the womens’ volleyball coach at Pepperdine University, won the most inspirational player-of-the-year award and Marla O’Hara was named most improved player.

Winners were selected by members of the WPVA.