Women's 4's Volleyball Rules

Roster specifications and additions
  1. An official team consists of 4 players.  During regular season games and playoffs, there must be at least 2 players in order to play a game.  These and only these combinations will be acceptable to play a game:
  • 4 Women, 3 Women, 2 Women
  • And BOTH teams MUST be in agreement if a team only has two or three players to play.  However, this does not mean that the other team has to play with the same number of players-they proceed playing the game with the full number of players needed on the court.  There will be no exceptions (unless there is an injury during the game and the player cannot continue.  Only at that time can a team proceed and not meet these combination requirements).  Failure to comply WILL result in a forfeit.
  1. Rosters must consist of at least 4 members but no more than 7 members at any point during the season and/or playoffs.
  2. No more than TWO current academic year/season intercollegiate or club volleyball players on a team roster of any combination. Intramural team rosters will be compared to intercollegiate/club rosters prior to the start of the league. (RULE CHANGE AS OF 12/12/05)
  3. All team members must have their name on the team roster by the last scheduled regular season game in order to be eligible to play during playoffs.  No additions can be made after this point.  It is the team captains responsibility to make sure that team rosters are updated prior to playoffs.
Checking in your team

All teams (at least 1 person from the team) MUST SIGN IN AT THE CAMPUS RECREATION DESK by their scheduled game time.  Failure to do so will result in a forfeit.  Each team must be on the court AND ready to play by ten minutes after their scheduled game time-ALL GAMES WILL START NO LATER THAN 10 MINUTES AFTER THEIR SCHEDULED TIME. Failure of a team not being on the court and ready to play will result in a forfeit.  It is not the responsibility of the official/court supervisors to find teams to get their games going.  It is the responsibility of the captain to make sure their team is on the court and ready to play.

The Game
  1. The first server will be determined by paper/rock/scissors.  The team that wins will get the serve for the 1st game, the other team gets the serve for the 2nd game regardless of who wins the 1st game.  If 3rd game is played, paper/rock/scissors will determine who gets the serve.
  2. The match is played best 2 out of 3 and/or completed within the scheduled hour (see rule 3).  Rally scoring will be used.  Games 1 and 2 will be played to 25 points and game 3 to 15 points.  You must win by two points or in games 1 and 2 the first team to 27 points and in game 3 the first team to 17 points wins.
  3. All regular season games must also be done within the hour.  Therefore, the team ahead at the end of the hour gets the win.  If games start 10 min. after their scheduled game time, they only have until the next scheduled game time to play, not a full hour (ex. Game is at 7pm, starts at 7:10pm, only get to play until 8pm).
  4. For all playoff games, there will be no time restriction.  Games must still start by 10 min. after their scheduled game time, but will be allowed to play all 3 games if needed.
  5. The team that wins the first side-out must rotate into their first serve.
  6. All players are considered front row the entire match (ie. a player is still able to hit in the front row even if they just served).
  7. Foot faults on the serve (stepping on or over the line at the time of the serve) will be called.
  8. No blocking a serve.
  9. No kicking the ball.  The ball may not be played off any body part other than your hands and arms.  Kicking/heading the ball will result in a sideout. 
  10. No setting a serve.  Closed hands are acceptable to receive ball off the serve.
  11. No carrying the ball.  Any obvious carries will result in a side-out.
  12. No roofing (blocker’s hands extending over the net and breaking the plane of the net when setter is setting the ball for an offensive play.  HOWEVER, a blocker can extend his/her hands over the net when 1) the ball is above the height of the net AND 2) is being attacked by the opponent (a hit or setter is dumping the ball).  
  13. No touching the net.
  14. No palming/throwing the ball on a hit.  (contacting ball behind head, catching ball in hand, and throwing over the net).  Palming/throwing will result in a side out).
  15. No going under the net.  If your whole foot goes under the net (across the center line) it will result in a side-out. 
  16. Rotations for serving MUST stay in order—failure to do so will result in a side out.
  17. If the ball hits the ceiling on your side and comes down on your side, it is playable.  If it hits on your side and comes down on the other side, it is out of bounds.
  18. If the ball hits the divider curtain, it is out of bounds.
  19. Please be honest with plays-if you touch the net and the official does not see it - call net, etc.
  20. If teams have extra players, those players must line judge while sitting out.  If there is no extra players, teams must be honest and help call in/out balls.
  21. Shoes must be worn at all times.

IF THERE IS ANY SUSPICION OF DRINKING ALCOHOL PRIOR TO PLAYING, THE INDIVIDUAL AND/OR TEAM MAY BE ELIMINATED FROM THE LEAGUE.

A team can only have 3 forfeits.  A team will be ineligible for playoffs with forfeiture of a 4th game.