Rules: Volleyball Magazine blows a call (Back Row Attack)

[Todd <tdh@vbref.org>]

In the October 1997 issue of Volleyball Magazine, Mike Schlegel's
instructional article on blocking concludes with some questionable
advice:

  If it's on Top of the Net,
  Always Go for the Ball

  Because of the back-row attacking rule, you should always
  remember that a back-row setter who attempts to set a ball that breaks
  the plane of the net will be whistled for the violation if an opposing
  blocker touches the ball.  But if you're the blocker, and you let the
  setter set it, the play will continue.  All you have to do is touch
  the ball, and your team will get the side out or point....

  -Volleyball Magazine, October 1997, p. 74.


Under USA Volleyball and NAGWS rules, this is not the case.  If the
setter plays the ball toward a teammate, the contact is legal unless
it passes untouched, _completely_ beyond the vertical plane of the
net.

USA Volleyball Indoor Rule 18.1 Commentary states:

  On the first or second team hit, a back-row player in the front zone
  contacts the ball when it is completely above the height of the net:
  If the flight of the contacted ball is toward a team-mate, the contact
  will not be an attack-hit if the ball is legally blocked before fully
  passing the vertical plane of the net.  If the ball passes untouched
  beyond the vertical plane of the net, the contact will be an
  attack-hit. 


Blockers can still victimize a back-row setter in this situation by
blocking the set back into the setter.  This would generate a back-row
blocking fault if the setter is still in the air and reached above the
net to set the ball.


Best Regards,
--
                  Todd H.   tdh@vbref.org
USAV Regional Referee, Great Lakes Region, Palatine, IL
Todd's Volleyball Referee Page http://www.io.com/~tdh/vball/
"So you're a Ref and an engineer? Oh that explains it...."