Volleyball Terms

Question 0

The vertical rods (normally white and red) mounted near the edges of the net. The antennas are mounted directly above the sidelines and are not-in-play. Antennas are not usually used on outdoor nets

Answer 0

Antenna

Question 1

A serve that is not passable and results immediately in a point

Answer 1

Ace

Question 2

Fast run toward the net by a spiker before he jumps in the air

Answer 2

Approach

Question 3

Passing or setting the ball to a teammate who attacks the ball for a kill. This stat is normally only logged for high school, college, and national/Olympic play

Answer 3

Assist

Question 4

The offensive action of hitting the ball. The attempt by one team to terminate the play by hitting the ball to the floor on the opponents side

Answer 4

Attack

Question 5

Receiving players’ aggressive attempt to block a spiked ball before it crosses the net

Answer 5

Attack block

Question 6

An unsuccessful attack which does one of the following: 1) the ball lands out of bounds, 2) the ball goes into the net and terminates play or goes into the net on the third hit, 3) the ball is blocked by the opposition for a point or sideout, 4) the attacker is called for a center line violation, 5) the attacker is called for illegal contact (lift, double hit…) on the attack

Answer 6

Attack error

Question 7

Also “hitter” or “spiker”. A player who attempts to hit a ball defensively with the purpose of terminating play in his or her teams favor

Answer 7

Attacker

Question 8

A line 3m from the net that separates the front row players from the back row players. Commonly referred to as the “10 foot line”

Answer 8

Attack line

Question 9

The area from the endline to the attack line

Answer 9

Backcourt

Question 10

A set delivered behind the setter’s back, which is subsequently hit by an attacker

Answer 10

Back set

Question 11

When a back row player attacks the ball by jumping from behind the 3m line before hitting the ball. If the back row player steps on or past the 3m line during take-off, the attack is illegal

Answer 11

Back row attack

Question 12

A defensive play by one or more players meant to deflect a spiked ball back to the hitter’s court. It may be a combination of one, two, or three players jumping in front of the opposing spiker and contacting the spiked ball with the hands

Answer 12

Block

Question 13

Any time the official calls a double hit, a thrown ball or a lift (except on a serve reception or attack). For our purposes, this category also includes any blocking errors (when an official calls a blocker for a violation such as going into the net, centerline violation, reaching over the net, etc.)

Answer 13

Ball handling error

Question 14

The use of joined forearms to pass or set a ball in an underhand manner

Answer 14

Bump pass

Question 15

A ball that falls to the floor in an area that’s surrounded by two, three, four, or more players. At the instant after the ball hits the floor, it appears as if the players are encircling and staring at a campfire

Answer 15

Campfire

Question 16

The boundary that runs directly under the net and divides the court into two equal halves

Answer 16

Center line

Question 17

An individual attack directed at an angle from one end of the offensive teams side if the net to the opposite sideline of the defensive teams court

Answer 17

Cross court shot

Question 18

A spike from the hitters strong side that travels at a sharp angle across the net

Answer 18

Cut shot

Question 19

An offensive play meant to disguise the spiker who will receive the set

Answer 19

Decoy

Question 20

Set to be hit away from the net to confuse or disrupt the timing of the blockers

Answer 20

Deep set

Question 21

Passing a spiked or rapidly hit ball. Slang for the art of passing an attacked ball close to the floor

Answer 21

Dig

Question 22

A legal push of the ball around or over blockers

Answer 22

Dink

Question 23

Two players working in unison to deflect an attacked ball at the net back to the hitters side

Answer 23

Double block

Question 24

Successive hits or contacts by the same player (illegal)

Answer 24

Double hit

Question 25

A game with two players on each side, most commonly played on a sand court

Answer 25

Doubles

Question 26

A 6-player offensive system that uses five hitters and one setter

Answer 26

Five-one

Question 27

Inside-out path of an outside spiker who hid behind a quick hitter

Answer 27

Flare

Question 28

A serve which does not spin or rotate and therefore moves in an erratic path. This is similar to a "knuckle ball" pitch in baseball

Answer 28

Floater

Question 29

Join your arms from the elbows to the wrists and strike the ball with the fleshy part of your forearms in an underhand motion

Answer 29

Forearm pass

Question 30

A violation of the rules

Answer 30

Foul

Question 31

A set 1' from the sideline, and 1' to 2' above the net

Answer 31

Four set

Question 32

A 6-player offensive system using four hitters and two setters

Answer 32

Four-two

Question 33

A ball that will be returned by a pass rather than a spike. This is usually called aloud by the defense instructing players to move into serve receive positions

Answer 33

Free ball

Question 34

A ball that comes to rest during contact resulting in a foul

Answer 34

Held ball

Question 35

To jump and strike the ball with an overhand, forceful shot

Answer 35

Hit

Question 36

Also "spiker" or "attacker"

Answer 36

Hitter

Question 37

Kills vs. attempts

Answer 37

Hitting percentage

Question 38

Any volleyball game with people who don't really know how to play volleyball. A common euphemism for this type of game is "picnic volleyball"

Answer 38

Jungle ball

Question 39

A serve that is started by the server tossing the ball into the air and jumping into and hitting the ball in its downward motion

Answer 39

Jump serve

Question 40

An attack that results in an immediate point or side out

Answer 40

Kill

Question 41

The marks that serve as boundaries of a court

Answer 41

Line

Question 42

A ball spiked down an opponents sideline, closest to the hitter and outside the block

Answer 42

Line shot

Question 43

A serve that contacts the net. If the ball dribbles over, it's playable just like any other ball that contacts the net on the way over. If the ball fails to clear the net, it will become dead when it either hits the serving team's court, or is contacted by a player on the serving team

Answer 43

Let serve

Question 44

A defensive system that uses the middle back player to cover deep spikes

Answer 44

Middle-back

Question 45

A defensive system that uses the middle back player to cover dinks or short shots

Answer 45

Middle-up

Question 46

The original name of the game of volleyball, created by William Morgan

Answer 46

Mintonette

Question 47

Player at the net, which is on the side away from the opponents attack

Answer 47

Offside block

Question 48

Any ball spiked with less than maximum force but with spin

Answer 48

Off-speed hit

Question 49

A left-front or right-front attacker normally taking an approach which starts from outside the court

Answer 49

Outside hitter

Question 50

A pass executed with both hands open, controlled by the fingers and thumbs, played just above the forehead

Answer 50

Overhand pass

Question 51

Serving the ball and striking it with the hand above the shoulder

Answer 51

Overhand serve

Question 52

Refers to the positions of the players in the rotation prior to the contact of the ball when serving

Answer 52

Overlap

Question 53

A one-handed defensive technique where the hand is extended and the palm is slid along the floor as the player dives or extension rolls, and timed so that the ball bounces off the back of the hand

Answer 53

Pancake

Question 54

The act of reaching across and breaking the plane of the net during blocking

Answer 54

Penetration

Question 55

A serve that results in a point (an ace by NCAA standards) as the serve is not returnable due to a bad pass by the receiver, this number includes aces

Answer 55

Point of service

Question 56

A set (usually 2’ above the net) in which the hitter is approaching the setter, and may even be in the air, before the setter delivers the ball. This type of set requires precise timing between the setter and hitter.

Answer 56

Quick set

Question 57

The flexed, yet comfortable, posture a player assumes before moving to contact the ball

Answer 57

Ready position

Question 58

A serve that a player should have been able to return, but results in an ace (and only in the case of an ace). If it is a "husband/wife" play (where the ball splits the two receivers), the receiving team is given the reception error instead of an individual

Answer 58

Reception error

Question 59

A severe penalty in which an official displays a red card. The result of a red card may be a player is disqualified, the team loses the serve, or the team loses a point. A red card may be given with or without prior yellow card as a warning; it is up to the official's discretion

Answer 59

Red card

Question 60

A ball that when spiked is blocked by a defensive player such that the ball deflects straight to the floor on the attacker' side

Answer 60

Roof

Question 61

The clockwise movement of players around the court and through the serving position following a side out

Answer 61

Rotation

Question 62

One of the six basic skills; used to put the ball into play. It is the only skill controlled exclusively by one player

Answer 62

Serve

Question 63

The player who puts the ball into play

Answer 63

Server

Question 64

An unsuccessful serve in which one or more of the following occurs: 1) the ball hits the net or fails to clear the net, 2) the ball lands out of bounds, 3) the server commits a foot fault

Answer 64

Service error

Question 65

A point the serving team scores when this player has served the ball. The point can be an immediate (in the case of an ace) or delayed (a kill or opponent attack error after a long rally). Therefore, the sum of the teams service winners equals their score

Answer 65

Service winner

Question 66

The tactical skill in which a ball is directed to a point where a player can spike it into the opponents court

Answer 66

Set

Question 67

The player who has the 2nd of 3 contacts of the ball who "sets" the ball with an "overhand pass" for a teammate to hit. The setter normally runs the offense

Answer 67

Setter

Question 68

Occurs when the receiving team successfully puts the ball away against the serving team, or when the serving team commits an unforced error, and the receiving team thus gains the right to serve

Answer 68

Side out

Question 69

Occurs when a blocker gets hit in the head or face by a spiked ball

Answer 69

Six pack

Question 70

A 6-player offense using 2 setters opposite one another in the rotation. Setter 1 becomes a hitter upon rotating into the front row as setter 2 rotates into the back row and becomes the setter

Answer 70

Six-two

Question 71

Also hit or attack. A ball contacted with force by a player on the offensive team who intends to terminate the ball on the opponents floor or off the opponents blocker

Answer 71

Spike

Question 72

A serve in which the ball is given a slight under-hand toss from about waist high and then struck with the opposite closed fist in an "underhand pitching" motion

Answer 72

Underhand serve

Question 73

When a hitter pushes the ball off of the opposing block so it lands out of bounds

Answer 73

Wipe

Question 74

A warning from an official indicated by the display of a yellow card. Any player or coach who receives two yellow cards in a match is disqualified. A single yellow card does not result in loss of point or serve

Answer 74

Yellow card