Always be looking for an opportunity to score, whether your team is serving or receiving. Rally scoring keeps games fast-paced, competitive, and fair.

Players in the back row cannot attack from in front of the attack line. It’s legal for front-row players to reach over the net to make a block, but only after the opposing team has made contact with the ball 3 times.

There’s no point cap in professional volleyball, which means that a could theoretically continue indefinitely if neither team manages to secure a 2-point advantage. 25 points may sound like a lot, but between quick scores and faults, a competitive game can be over in a flash.

The final game in the series is sometimes played to 15 points rather than the traditional 25. [3] X Research source Stay focused. Even if you’ve won the first 2 games, it’s still possible for the opposing team to rally and neutralize your advantage if you begin playing carelessly.

Faulting on a serve. Making contact with the ball more than 3 times before successfully getting it over the net. Hitting the ball out of bounds without a player from the opposing team first touching it. Attempting to block a hit from the opposite side of the net. Touching the net while the ball is in play.

Make sure the scoring sheet you’re using provides spaces to list other important details such as players’ names, numbers, serving orders, and substitutions. For league games, you may also want to put down the time, date, and location of the match.

The key to winning is positioning and coordinating your team so that you have the best chance of scoring without leaving openings to be scored on yourself. An experienced referee with a good eye can be instrumental in arbitrating controversial plays.

A point scored on a serve (whether the result of a clean strike or failure of the receiving team to keep the ball in play) is referred to as an “ace. “[7] X Research source Overhand serves are more difficult to pull off, but are also harder to defend than underhand serves. Be careful not to cross the court’s end line while serving, or it could be declared a fault.

When passing the ball, always make contact with the fleshy part of your forearms rather than your hands or wrists. Over time, too much force can cause stress to the small bones in these areas. Remember that your team only has 3 chances to return a ball falling on your side of the net before it’s ruled a fault.

Coordinate with your team so that the hitter is in position and ready to strike as soon as the set ball reaches its highest point above the net. A set is also sometimes referred to as an “overhead pass. "

Try to maneuver the ball as far away from the opposing team’s defensive players as possible. In most games, the majority of the points your team scores will be due to unblocked strikes.

Under most competitive rules, the trio of players closest to the front of the net will be responsible for blocking. If a blocked ball falls on your side of the net, your team will still have 3 chances to return it.

Your position in the rotation is not the same as your player position. Defensive players, for instance, will remain on the defensive until the rotation shifts them to the front of the court. [12] X Research source Playing out of the correct rotation could earn you a fault or even cause you to lose a point.

Be sure to incorporate both offensive and defensive drills into your practice to get some experience playing both sides of the net. [14] X Research source If possible, break into smaller teams and face off in a scrimmage to simulate competitive play and enhance your ability to come out on top in fast-paced rallies.

Teams who practice hard play hard. Treat your practice sessions with the same seriousness you would a championship-level game.