Player Position

6 players on a team, 3 on the front row and 3 on the back row.

The team’s starting lineup indicates the rotational order of the players on the court. This same order must be maintained throughout the entire set.

At the time the ball is served, the players of each team must be within their team area in two rows of three players each.

When a player(s) of a team is discovered out of position, the play must be stopped and the error corrected. All points scored by team while player(s) was/were out of position are canceled. If the team at fault is serving at the time of discovery, a side-out will be declared.

After the ball is contacted for the serve, the players may move from their respective positions.

All front row players are permitted to block and spike from anywhere on the court. The back row players may not block or attack in front of the 10 foot line.

Length of Match

All games are played under rally scoring. Rally scoring means that a point is awarded on every play, no matter which team served.

A match shall consist of the best two out of three sets. The first two sets are played to twenty-five; but, a team must win by 2 points. In case of a 24-24 tie, play is continued until a two point lead is achieved (26-24, 29-27, …).

The third set of all matches is played to fifteen and a team must also win by 2.

After every set, teams change sides of the playing area.

In the third set, a coin toss will determine side or serve. Winner of coin toss selectes side or serve.

Service

A server can serve anywhere from behind the end line.

The server must wait for the referee to authorize the serve; if a player serves before the referee's whistle, the service is taken over. The server must hit the ball within 8 seconds after the referee whistles for the service.

At the instant that the ball is hit for the service, the server must be behind the service area and between the sidelines, but may enter the court immediately after the ball is hit.

Serving faults include: a) the ball passes under the net, b) the ball touches a player on the serving team, c) the ball lands out of bounds, d) the ball hits the ceiling/roof or any object. Other faults which may be called include: foot fault, out-of-rotation, and screening. If a service fault occurs the opposing team wins a point and the serve.

A foot fault occurs when a player's foot is touching the court area at the moment of the service hit.

When the receiving team has won the right to serve, its players rotate one position clockwise before serving.

The server must release or toss the ball when serving. A player is allowed one tossing error, as long as she allows the ball to bounce on the floor without touching the ball after the toss.

The serve remains in play if it touches the top of the net during the serve.

Contacting the Ball

Each team can hit the ball a maximum of three times.

Ball may be contacted with any part of the body.

A player may not hit the ball twice in succession; a block is not considered a hit.

It is legal to make multiple contacts on the ball during the first contact. But the contact must be a single attempt at playing the ball to be legal.

The ball may contact more than one part of the body, provided the contacts are simultaneous and that the ball is not held.

It is illegal to catch, hold, or throw the ball. When the ball rests momentarily in the hands or arms of a player, it is called a "lift" and a side-out is awared. The ball must be hit cleanly without scooping, lifting, pushing, or carrying.

Common interpretations of a lift: a) Ball below the waist may not be played with an open hand, b) overhead balls must be played in a direction perpendicular to the line of the player's shoulders.

Ball In and Out

A ball hitting a boundary line is "in."

A ball is out if it hits: an antenna, the floor completely outside the court, any of the part of thr net or cable outside the antennae, or the referee stand or pole.

Ceiling Rule: Any ball contacting the ceiling or overhead lights will be considered in play if it remains on the side of the net on which it was played. But if the ball hits the ceiling and then goes to the opposing side, the ball is considered out of bounds. If the ball contacts a basketball hoop or side wall a point is rewarded to opposing team.

Blocking

A block does not count as the first of the three allowed hits.

Any player participating in a block in which the ball is contacted can make the next contact.

Blocking can be performed by any or all players on the front line, but a back row player is not permitted to block.

Players may not spike or block a serve.

Spikes

Hands passing over the net after the spike is not a fault; but, it the net during the arm swing is a fault.

A back row player must take off behind the 10 foot line. Backrow players may not spike by jumping in front of the 10 foot line if the ball is above the height of the net. A backrow player is allowed to jump and hit the ball if the players jumps from behind the 10 foot line.

Play at Net

Players may not touch the net or completely cross under the center line.

Touching an opponent’s court, under the net, with foot/feet is not a fault provided that some part of foot must remains on or above the center line at the time of contact.

Contacting the net by a player is not a fault, unless it is made during the action of playing the ball or it interferes with the play.

Blocking faults occur when the blocker touches the net.

A front row player may reach over the net but cannot contact the ball until completion of the opponents attack.

Substitutions

Substitutions have restrictions including number of substitutions allowed and when substitutions can occur. But briefly: the player must re-enter the game by substituting in her previous position in the line-up. In other words, if Mary subs for Jane, Jane can only go back in Mary’s position. Mary or Jane cannot be substituted in any other position during that game.

The Court

PLAYING AREA

The playing area includes the volleyball court and the playable area that surrounds it.

DIMENSIONS

The playing court is rectangle measuring 59 feet by 29 feet 6 inches surrounded by a free zone (playable area) which is a minimum of 9 feet 10 inches wide on all sides.

LINES ON THE  COURT

All lines on the court are 2 inches wide. Two sidelines and two end lines mark the playing court. Both the sidelines and end lines are part of the dimensions of the playing court. The centerline divides the playing court into two equal halves each measuring 29 feet 6 inches by 29 feet 6 inches; however, the entire centerline is considered part of each side of the court.

USAV RULES FOR NET HEIGHT(FEMALE)

12 and under 7 feet; 18 and under 7 feet 4-1/8 inches.
The volleyball net height is measured from the center of the net. The net height at the 2 sidelines must be exactly the same and can’t be over 3/4 inch higher than the official volleyball net height.