How to Score in Volleyball Games

The main rule in volleyball is to keep the ball from hitting the ground. This is done by passing, setting, spiking, blocking and serving the ball. Volleyball, whether beach or indoor, is scored by rally scoring. This means that on every play during the game, one side of the court is going to get the point. You can score points by making a play over the net or by benefiting from an error from the other side.

Things You'll Need

  • Volleyball
  • Volleyball court with correct boundaries
  • Volleyball net
  • Antennae
  • Two volleyball teams
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Instructions

  1. During Play

    • 1

      Serve the ball. If it touches the line or inside the line on other side of the court, it's an ace serve. The serving team gets the point. If it hits off another player and touches the court out of bounds, the serving team gets the point.

    • 2

      Hit, pass or serve the ball over the net. If it touches the court floor in bounds on the other side of the court, the team that hit or passed the ball over the net gets the point.

    • 3

      Play the ball over the net. If the ball hits off a player on the opposite side and then hits the court floor out of bounds, the side that played it over gets the point. This is often seen when a player hits a ball into the block on the other side and the ball goes off the block, out of bounds.

    With Errors

    • 4

      Touch the net or antennae during play and the point goes to the other team. There are two antennae attached to each side of the net. They're an extension of the boundary lines on the court floor.

    • 5

      Serve the ball. If it hits the antennae or hits the net and falls on the server's side of the court, the other team gets the point.

    • 6

      Touch the ball four times one one side of the court and the other team gets the point. The only exception to this rule is if a ball touches off a block. The team still gets three touches in this situation.

    • 7

      Hit, serve or pass the ball to where it hits outside the boundary line on the other side and the other team gets the point.

    • 8

      Touch a ball that ends up on the court floor out of bounds and the other team gets the point.

    • 9

      Lift or carry a ball and the other team gets the point. A lift occurs when a player holds on to the ball for too long during a volley. This can include catching the ball and letting it stay in the hands too long on a set.

    • 10

      Touch the ball two times in a row and the other team gets the point.