JVolleyball

VOLLEYBALL RULES

This rules are extracts from beach volleyball rules ("Official beach volleyball rules"), approved by the FIVB in 2000.

GAME CHARACTERISTICS

Volleyball is a sport played by two teams on a court divided by a net. The ball is played by hitting it with any part of the body. The objective of the game is for each team to send the ball regularly over the net to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the ball from being grounded on its own court. A team is entitled to hit the ball three times to return it to the opponent’s court. The rally continues until the ball touches the ground, goes "out" or a team fails to return it properly. Only the serving team may score a point. When the receiving team wins a rally, it gains the right to serve, this is called a "side out".

1. SCORING SYSTEM

1.1 TO WIN A SET
A set is won by the team that first scores 15 points with a minimum lead of two points. In the case of a 14-14 tie, play is continued until a two-point lead is reached (16-14, 17-15).
However, a point limit is reached at 17, i.e. after a 16-16 tie the team scoring the 17th point wins the set with only a one-point lead.

1.2 TO WIN A RALLY
Whenever a team fails in its service or fails to return the ball, or commits any other fault, the opposing team wins the rally, with one of the following consequences:
1.2.1 If the opposing team served, it scores a point and continues to serve.
1.2.2 If the opposing team received the service, it gains the right to serve without scoring a point (side-out).

2. TEAM HITS

2.1 Each team is entitled to a maximum of three hits for returning the ball over the net.
2.2 These team hits include not only intentional hits by the player, but also unintentional contacts with the ball.