Rally point scoring
Every rally awards a point to the winning side, whether or not it served. Sets go to 25 with a two-point margin; the deciding fifth set is played to 15, again by two.
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Volleyball
Volleyball is played by two teams of six separated by a high net, each trying to ground the ball in the opponent's court. A side may touch the ball three times before returning it, and no player may touch it twice in a row. Sets are won at 25 points and matches at three sets.
group
PLAYERS
6 on court plus a libero, 12 in the squad
schedule
DURATION
Best of 5 sets, roughly 60–120 min
stadium
PLAYING AREA
Indoor court 18 m × 9 m; net 2.43 m (men) / 2.24 m (women)
scoreboard
SCORING
Rally scoring to 25, deciding set to 15
HOW IT IS PLAYED
Core Rules
Three touches
A team may contact the ball at most three times before sending it over the net, not counting a block. The same player may not make two consecutive contacts except immediately after a block.
The serve
The server strikes from behind the end line and may serve from anywhere along its width. The ball must clear the net without a player on the serving side touching it; a serve grazing the net and landing in is legal.
Rotation
Each time a team wins the serve back it rotates one position clockwise. Players must be in their rotational order at the moment the serve is struck, though they may move anywhere once the ball is live.
Front and back row
Back-row players may not attack the ball above net height from in front of the 3 m attack line, nor block. They may jump and attack freely from behind that line.
The libero
The libero wears a contrasting shirt, plays only in the back row, and may enter and leave without counting as a substitution. They may not serve in most competitions, attack above net height, or set an attacker with overhand fingers from inside the front zone.
Net and centre line
Touching the net between the antennae while playing the ball is a fault. A foot may cross the centre line so long as part of it remains on or above the line and the opponent is not interfered with.
Ball handling
The ball must be struck, not caught, held, lifted or thrown. Contact may be with any part of the body, and a double contact is legal only on the first team touch off a hard-driven ball.
Blocking
Front-row players may reach over the net to block, but only after the opponent has attacked or clearly cannot make a third contact. A block does not count as one of the three team touches.
WATCH OUT
Fouls & Penalties
- errorFour hits by one team before returning the ball.
- errorDouble contact by the same player outside the permitted first-touch exception.
- errorRotation fault — players out of order when the serve is struck.
- errorNet touch, centre line violation, or reaching over to attack a ball still on the opponent's side.
- errorBack-row attack from within the front zone, or a libero attacking above net height.
WHO DECIDES
Match Officials
- sportsFirst referee — stands on the umpire stand and has final authority.
- sportsSecond referee — works at the net post, watching the centre line and rotations.
- sportsScorer — records points, rotations, substitutions and time-outs.
- sportsFour line judges — signal in, out and antenna faults.
GOVERNED BY FIVB · VFI
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