Smith-Stoklos Team Seeded First in Pro Beach Volleyball Tournament

Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos are the top-seeded team in the $100,000 Miller Lite Orange County Open pro beach volleyball tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. today on the north side of the Seal Beach Pier.

Smith and Stoklos are the leading money winners of the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) tour with $152,287. They have won nine tournaments, including a sudden death victory over Tim Hovland and Kent Steffes last week in Chicago. Hovland and Steffes are competing in Italy and will skip this weekend’s tour stop.

Karch Kiraly, the third-leading money winner on the tour with $95,025, also will miss the event. Kiraly is working as a color commentator at the Goodwill Games in Seattle. Kiraly’s partner, Brent Frohoff, will team with Mike Dodd. Dodd recently split with Hovland, his partner for eight years.

Teams will be competing for a purse of $100,000, the second largest purse on the 24-stop tour. Winners of the double-elimination tournament will split $20,000.

Competition begins at 8 a.m. Sunday with the championship match scheduled for 2 p.m. Admission is free both days.