The Basics
Each team has six players. Players score points
by successfully landing the ball in the court of
the opponent without its being returned. The ball
is hit back and forth over the net with the hands,
fists, forearms, head, or any part of the body
above the waist. Only three hits are allowed on
a side before the ball goes over the net and no
player may strike the ball two times in a row.
The only significant difference between men's
and women's competitions is the height of the
net, which is 7 feet 11 3/4 inches for men
and 7 feet 4 1/2 inches for women.
Competition
Teams compete in an initial round-robin tournament.
The top teams then advance to single elimination
rounds.
Volleyball matches are decided on the best
three out of five sets. A team wins a set when
it scores 15 points, provided the margin is
two or more points. If the leading team is
not ahead by two points, play continues until
one team has 17 points, regardless of the margin.
News, History,
and Fast Facts
More sports
General Sports Links
Olympians will compete in dozens of sports this summer. Even though Gateway
to the Summer Games can't feature them all, you can learn about each and
every one by visiting the sites listed below.
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