Volleyball Rules
General League Rules
Decorum: All players are to respect officials/staff and opposing players. Any derogatory language or fighting will result in the expulsion of the player and the team will be indefinitely banned from LU Sports events and all partner sites.
Officials: All calls made by the referee are final, cannot be disputed, and will not be overturned. Each team must pay $20 Referee Fee Each Game.
Fees: All participants must pay their season player fee in order to participate in any LU Sports Volleyball games. No Team or Player refunds.
Schedule: 6 Regular-season matches plus Playoffs. All teams make playoffs.
Roster: Only those named on the roster are permitted to play in games. Eight (8) player minimum on roster, six (6) players on the court at a time. During gameplay, maximum four (4) men on the court. Two (2) women minimum, with no maximum limit on female players. If a team does not have minimum two (2) women, they will play down a player.
Time & Scoring: Matches, consisting of three sets, will be one (1) hour in duration. Scoring will be rally scoring to twenty-five (25) points, win by two (2) points with a cap at twenty-seven (27) points. All three (3) sets in the match will be played regardless of the outcome of the first two (2) sets. If there are fifteen (15) minutes or less in the scheduled match time at the start of the third set, the final set will be played to fifteen (15) points with a cap at seventeen (17) points.
Court Boundaries & Playable Area: All players must be within the playing court boundary until the server makes contact with the ball. If the ball touches any part of the boundary line, it is ruled in. To be considered in play, the ball must pass over the net within the antennas and their imaginary continuation to the ceiling. Balls that hit any walls are considered out of play. Balls that hit the ceiling (or basketball backboards) during a rally: 1) Are still in play only if the ball stays on the attacking teams side of the net and they have hits remaining - OR - 2) Are called ‘out’ if the ball contacts any part of the ceiling as it crosses the plane of the net.
Gameplay Rules
Serve & Side: Team captains will play Rock Paper Scissors to determine which team serves first. First service will alternate for remaining sets. Teams switch sides after each set.
Serving: Serves may be executed from anywhere behind the endline and between the side boundary lines. The server may not step on or over the endline until contact has been made with the ball. Serves that hit the net and go over (“let serve”) are legal and playable. A served ball that hits the antenna is considered out.
Net Play & Centerline: Balls may be played out of the net. Players may not contact any part of the net with their body while the ball is in play. A player may touch the center line with their foot, but may not cross the center line entirely.
Spiking/Hitting & Blocking: Players may not return a serve with a spike or block serves at the net. Only front row players may block or take part in a block. Back-row hitting is permitted behind the ten (10) foot line.
Ball Handling**: A ball may be played off any body part, including the head or feet. During the first contact (blocking excluded), the ball may contact various parts of the body consecutively, as long as the contacts occur during one action. Any ball coming to a momentary rest in a player's palm or open hand is considered an illegal carry/lift.
**Ball handling violations will be called and enforced in intermediate and competitive leagues. Only egregious, excessive, or intentional ball handling violations will be called in recreational leagues. Enforcement of ball handling faults is at the discretion of the Officials.
Timeouts: Each team is permitted one (1) timeout per set.