Scoring Change in Volleyball?

[Driftwood]

On February 27th the NCAA Rules committee was scheduled to consider a recommendation in the way volleyball games are scored. Under this change, the first 4 games would be played to 25 points, consistent with International scoring.

I note our Spring games are all playing to 25. Was this rule change adopted?

Thanks

[BeBe]

per avca.org, under rule changes:

"Points Required to Win a Set. (Rule 8.2.1, page 45)—The number of points required to win sets one through four is now 25. "

[Noah121]

I wonder why international games have gone to 25, and also (at least in Nebraska), the games go to 25 points in high school. I suppose it's good to have a little more uniformity.

But didn't American volleyball go from side-out to rally scoring in 2001 as a result of international competition using side-out scoring? I've heard either that or TV was the reason for the change.

It will be very interesting, however! Maybe it'll prevent me from being as rushed to leave a game on Wednesdays due to meetings. People around me were saying that the first team to 25 usually won the game anyway.

[Dale8R]

I hadn't heard that. Your headline caused me some concern. I was wondering what new madness is going to filter down to us at the high school level now? Turns out I needn't worry as we are already there!

There is a LOT of variation amongst state high school associations, though. Some play best two out of three and some play best three of five. Arkansas opted for the longer matches, and I am glad. The switch from side out to rally scoring really makes a best of three match pretty short, I think.

Some proponents of the three set matches argue that the longer matches don't change the results much. I know we've had a few matches where we lost the first two, then came back to win three. Don't think there's ever been one that went the other way, but then, I imagine I would tend to forget that! I have seen just about every sequence of four and five game matches there is.

[Noah121]

There is a LOT of variation amongst state high school associations, though. Some play best two out of three and some play best three of five. Arkansas opted for the longer matches, and I am glad. The switch from side out to rally scoring really makes a best of three match pretty short, I think.


The short matches is one reason why they go only best-of-three in high school, because there are frequently tournaments in which a team will play several matches in one day (at least in Nebraska).

The JV matches are always best-of-three, but when the varsity teams have only one match in a day (i.e. a dual rather than a triangular or a tournament), it's best-of-five, and all state matches are best-of-five.

[Dale8R]

I think that allowing three game matches in tournaments is pretty much standard even in states that mandate use of five game matches for regular season and state tournament play but I was referring to states like Illinois where ALL matches are best of three.

I'm sure you've probably seen the two game tournament variation as well. In a lot of tournaments with pool play where the schedules need to be more or less uniform, teams play just two games even if they are split.

The NFHS (National Federation of State High School Association) has a large degree of control over what the individual state associations do, but a certain amount of leeway is allowed in some instances. Also, states are sometimes allowed experimental variations in the rules for a year or more.

http://www.nfhs.org/ National Federation website

http://www.nfhs.org/web/2006/08/volleyball.aspx volleyball section at NFHS

I also see in looking up the info about the colleges changing to the 25 point games, that they are also going to change the term game to set. Not a big deal, just something else to remember for a while, just like the term "side out" is no longer an official part of the language since all levels converted to rally scoring. That doesn't mean people don't still say it.

ADD http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=8049267 Dave Shoji's opinions on the new rule changes. As for the shorter game, he is definitely opposed to it.

"Some of the intent is to shorten the matches and go home. Obviously the referees have some sort of influence, they want to get home earlier, but there are a lot of coaches who are really, really against this rule and we're still fighting it."