VOLLEYBALL AT HERMOSA BEACH : Johnson-Luyties Rally, Upset Smith-Stoklos to Win Title

With a watchful eye on the scoreboard and time clock, Adam Johnson and Ricci Luyties upset Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos Saturday in the final of the $750,000 Miller Lite U.S. Pro Beach Volleyball Championships.

Johnson and Luyties, seeded third, rallied from an 11-10 deficit in the final 20 seconds for a 13-11 victory over top-seeded and defending champion Smith and Stoklos before 15,000 at the Hermosa Beach Pier.

Because of the nationwide telecast by NBC, all matches were played under an eight-minute time limit, with the clock running only when the ball was in play. Matches are usually to 15 points.

“We didn’t start watching the clock until there was 15 seconds left,” said Luyties, who led UCLA to four NCAA titles and won a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics. “We called time out to get calmed down.”

Said Stoklos: “Obviously, everyone saw the effect of the time clock.”

Johnson, of Capistrano Beach, and Luyties, of Pacific Palisades, split $100,000 for the victory, their third on the tour this year. Smith and Stoklos, of Pacific Palisades, split $22,500.

Johnson and Luyties have come through the losers’ bracket to win both nationally televised tournaments this year. They beat John Hanley and Mike Whitmarsh in the final at Milwaukee last month.

Johnson and Luyties trailed, 11-10, when Luyties hit a ball out. But officials said Stoklos touched the ball on a block, and awarded the ball to Johnson and Luyties. Smith then hit the ball out to tie the score, 11-11.

“The turning point was when they called the touch on me,” Stoklos said. “And I never had a hand on the ball.”

Luyties saw it differently.

“He touched it,” Luyties said.

Johnson, a former star at USC, dug a spike by Stoklos and killed the ball for a 12-11 lead with 11 seconds left. Stoklos hit the ball out for the final point as time expired.

Luyties finished with 21 kills and three blocks and Johnson added six kills. Stoklos had 16 kills and Smith had eight.