Players
- The game shall be played between two (2) teams of four (4) players. Three (3) players are required to begin a game.
Co-Rec: Each team shall be made up of four (4) people, and must have at least two (2) men and two (2) women. Substitutions may only be made between games. A man may only substitute for a man. A woman may substitute for either a man or a woman. There must always be at least two (2) women per team on the court.
- If, due to injuries, a team drops below the minimum number of players (three (3)), the team may continue if the Intramural Sports Supervisor and Staff deems the game still competitive.
- Roster limit will be six (6) players.
Scoring and Time Outs
- MATCH: A match shall consist of the best two (2) out of three (3) games, within a 45 minute time limit.
- GAME: A game is won by the first team to score 21 points with a two (2) point advantage. If the game count is tied at the conclusion of the second game, a third game shall be played. In the case of playing all three (3) games, a team must be the first to score 15 points with a two (2) point advantage.
- TIME-OUTS: Each team shall be allowed one (1) time-out per game limited to 30 seconds.
The Game
- Out of Bounds – The ball shall be called out of bounds whenever it hits outside the marked boundaries of the court or is sent/played across the net outside of the antennas or boundary line extended.
Serving
- Legal Serve-The player in the back, right position of the court shall put the ball in play by hitting it with one hand or any part of their arm in an attempt to send the ball over the net and into the opponent’s court.
- The serve is legal if:
- The ball passes over the net without touching any member of the serving team
- A legal serve may hit the net as long as it goes over.
- Length of serve: Service shall continue by a team until (A) the serving team commits a fault and turns the ball over to the other team, side-out, or (B) the game is completed.
Player Position
- At service: All players, except the server, have both feet fully on the ground during the serve.
- Service Faults: Any of the following committed during a serve shall count as a fault.
- A served ball contacts with the net.
- A served ball contacts a member of the serving team.
- A service is delivered by the wrong server.
- A serve is not executed from the designated service area.
- A server touches the service line at the same time the serve is executed.
- Any player on the serving team screens the server from the opposing team
Play at the Net:
- Touching the net: A ball that touches or rebounds off the net or net hardware may be played again provided it was not on the serve.
- Player contact with the net: A player or any part of their body or clothing that touches the net while the ball is in play shall be charged with a fault, unless the contact was caused by the ball being hit into the net with enough force to cause the net to touch a player. If opposing players contact the net simultaneously, it shall be called a double fault and the ball replayed.
- Reaching over the net: In returning a ball, a player may follow-through over the net, provided he/she first makes contact with the ball on his/her side of the net. Players attempting to block may reach across the net but shall contact the ball until an opponent strikes the ball in an attempt to send it back into the opponent’s court.
- Dead Ball: A ball becomes dead when:
- The ball hits the ground.
- A served ball hits the net.
- A player commits a fault.
- The ball leaves the designated playing area.
- Playing the ball- number of contacts with the ball: Up to three (3) successive contacts of the ball are allowed for each team in order to play the ball over the net and into the opponent’s court. A player may not make two (2) consecutive contacts
- If the ball is contacted the maximum of three (3) times on one side of the net, both genders must be involved in at least one (1) of the three (3) touches.
- Successive contact with the ball by a player: It shall be declared a fault if a player makes successive contact with the ball except:
- When two (2) players attempt a block and contact the ball simultaneously, either one may make successive contact with the ball; this second contact shall count as the first of three hits allowed on a team
- Holding the ball: If a player holds, scoops, lifts, pushes or carries the ball momentarily, a “carry” shall be called.
- Simultaneous contact by teammates: If two (2) players on the same team contact the ball simultaneously, two (2) contacts shall be called and neither player may contact the ball on the next play.
- Team assistance: Teammates shall not hold or assist one another while making a play.
- Blocking: Any player may raise their hands above their shoulders close to the net in an attempt to block the ball from an opponent. The block does not count as one of the three successive contacts allowed a team and there may be multiple contacts during a block. Since a block does not count as play, any player who participates in a block may legally make the next contact with the ball. Serves cannot be blocked.