U.S. CHAMPIONSHIPS : Sinjin Sings the Blues and Ayakatubby Pays the Penalty : Volleyball: Smith, the winningest player in beach history, is eliminated. Ayakatubby’s argument with official helps top-seeded Kiraly and Steffes advance.

The biggest upset at Saturday’s $750,000 Miller Lite U.S. Championships in Hermosa Beach took place when Sinjin Smith, pro beach volleyball’s winningest player, was eliminated in a late-afternoon losers’ bracket match.

Smith, a two-time U.S. Championship winner, placed ninth with partner Bruk Vandeweghe. Sixth-seeded Smith and Vandeweghe fell into the losers’ bracket Friday and were eliminated after losing, 15-6, to fifth-seeded Tim Hovland of Manhattan Beach and Brian Lewis.

“Getting ninth doesn’t make me very happy,” said the 36-year-old Smith, winner of 134 tournaments.

Top-seeded Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes worked hard for two victories, which put them in this morning’s 9:45 a.m. winners’ bracket final against second-seeded Mike Dodd and Mike Whitmarsh.

Kiraly and Steffes battled back from a 7-12 deficit to beat eighth-seeded Brent Frohoff and Steve Timmons, 18-16, in a quarterfinal match on center court.

At 14-10, Frohoff, a Manhattan Beach native, and Timmons gave up five match points. Kiraly and Steffes rallied and tied the score, 14-14, with a little over a minute left on the nine-minute clock.

After the teams battled to a 16-16 tie, Kiraly and Steffes were able to put the match away. Simmons, who played on two U.S. Olympic teams with Kiraly, hit the ball out on match point.

“They played well and we made a lot of mistakes,” Kiraly said. “It was a tragedy of errors. Most points were on mistakes, but luckily we slowed down our mistakes in the end.”

Kiraly and Steffes went on to beat fourth-seeded Scott Ayakatubby and Adam Johnson, 15-8, in the semifinals.

The top-seeded team was ahead, 13-8, when Ayakatubby yelled a profanity at an official for ruling that he had touched the net on a block.

“Ayakatubby, a Hermosa Beach native, received a yellow warning card. When he continued to protest, he got two red cards, which cost his team two points and the match.

“It was a terrible call,” Ayakatubby said.

Steffes, who has teamed with Kiraly for 15 tournament victories this year, believes it’s essential for players to control their temper.

“I’ve never gotten a red card in my entire career,” Steffes said. “You always have to have control. If not, look what happens.”

Ayakatubby and Johnson will play Brazilians Eduardo Bacil and Jose Loiola in the consolation semifinals at 8:30 this morning.

“We’re fired up for tomorrow,” Ayakatubby said. “Karch and Kent had a close match with Steve and Brent and we know they’re beatable. They’re not playing that great. I’d like to play them in the final and give them another try and I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

Dodd and Whitmarsh beat Bacil and Loiola, 14-9, in the quarterfinals and third-seeded Ricci Luyties and Randy Stoklos, 15-9, in the semifinals.

Playing in their first event together, Luyties and Stoklos trailed 10-4. They rallied within 12-8, but Dodd and Whitmarsh took charge from that point.

“I could tell they weren’t in sync,” said Dodd, a Manhattan Beach native. “With as awesome physical talent as they have, they’re not cohesive as a team.”

Stoklos, who credited the 6-foot-7 Whitmarsh’s blocking, says his team made a lot of unforced errors.

“Mike is one of the best blockers on the tour right now,” he said. “He’s a very imposing figure up there. With a guy like that up there it’s tough.”

Luyties and Stoklos will meet Frohoff and Timmons in the other consolation semifinal. Frohoff and Timmons defeated fifth-seeded Tim Hovland and Brian Lewis, 15-13, in the last match of the day, a consolation quarterfinal on center court.

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In the women’s round-robin division, Linda Carrillo and Angela Rock will play Rita Crockett and Nancy Reno at 11 this morning.

Jackie Silva and Linda Hanley will meet Cammy Ciarelli and Holly McPeak, a Mira Costa High grad, at noon.