
VOLLEYBALL GAME RULES
Scoring:
Games are usually played to either 11 or 15 points which should be determined
before play begins. Pro Beach Volleyball matches are best of three games
with the first two games or sets played to 21 and the third played to 15 points.
Court Exchanging:
Side changes or exchanging courts occur at specified times during the game.
In a 15 point game courts are exchanged each time 5 points are scored. In an
11 point game courts are exchanged each time 4 points are scored. In games
to 21 side changes occur after every 7 points are scored. In competitive play
side changes should be direct and without delay.
Rally Point Scoring:
In rally point scoring either the serving or receiving side scores a point whenever
a tam fails to serve properly, return the ball or commits a fault.
Ball Play:
Ball in: The ball is “in” when, after being served into play, its first contact with
the ground is on the playing court or on a boundary line.
Ball out: The ball is “out” when, after being served into play, its first contact with
the ground is completely outside the playing court, or it touches an object outside
the court, an overhead object or a person out of play, or it touches the antennas,
ropes, posts or the net outside the antennas.
Team Contacts:
Each team is entitled to a maximum of three contacts to return the ball to the
opponent. A player may not contact the ball consecutively, except during or
after a block or at a team’s first contact.
Contact Characteristics:
A player may touch the ball with any part of the body.
The ball must be contacted cleanly and not held, lifted, pushed, caught,
carried or thrown.
The ball cannot roll or come to rest on any part of a player’s body.
An exception is allowed during the defensive play of a hard driven ball.
At this time the ball may be momentarily lifted or pushed.
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