Volleyball Terms

Basic Volleyball Terms

Ace: A serve that lands in the opponent's court untouched, scoring a point for the serving team.
Antenna: Vertical rods attached to the net's sides, marking the boundary where the ball must pass during play.
Approach: The quick steps a player takes toward the net before jumping to hit the ball.
Assist: A pass or set that directly leads to a teammate scoring a point.
Attack: Aggressively hitting the ball into the opponent's court to score a point.
Block: A defensive move where players jump near the net to intercept or deflect an opponent’s attack.
Carry: A fault where the ball is momentarily supported with the fingers or palms during a set or pass.
Court Zone: The volleyball court is divided into six zones where players rotate clockwise from one zone to the next.
Dig: A defensive action using the forearms or hands to control a hard-hit ball.
Double Hit: A violation where a player contacts the ball twice in succession or with different parts of the body.
Foot Fault: A violation where a player steps on or crosses the service line during a serve.
Free Ball: A ball returned over the net without an aggressive attack, typically using an underhand or overhead pass.
Hitter: A player who specializes in attacking the ball over the net, also known as a spiker.
Kill: An attack that successfully results in a point.
Libero: A defensive specialist wearing a different colored jersey who can substitute for any back-row player, but cannot serve, block, or attack the ball above net height.
Lift: A fault where the ball is momentarily held or thrown rather than hit cleanly.
Match Point: The point that, if won, will secure the match for a team.
Middle Blocker: A front-row player who focuses on blocking and quick offensive plays.
Net Violation: A fault committed when a player touches the net during play.
Net Zone: The net is divided into 7 or 9 attack zones, guiding athletes on where to run their attack patterns.
Opposite Hitter: A strong attacker positioned on the right side of the front row.
Outside Hitter: A player positioned on the left side of the front row, consistently involved in attacks.
Rally: The sequence of actions from the serve until the ball is out of play.
Rotation: The clockwise movement of players around the court after winning a point on the opponent's serve.
Serve: The action that initiates play by sending the ball over the net to the opposing team.
Set: A pass intended to position the ball for a hitter’s attack.
Setter: The player who sets up attacks by placing the ball in the ideal position for hitters.
Side Out: Occurs when the serving team loses the rally, and the serve is given to the opponents.
Touch: Any contact made with the ball by a player.

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Volleyball Attack Terms

C Ball: A back-row attack hit slightly right of the Pipe position, often used as a tactical play.
Cross-body Shot: An attack where the player hits the ball to the opposite side of the court without rotating their body.
Cross-Court Shot: An attack hit diagonally across the court from one side to the opposite.
Cut Shot: A diagonal attack that targets the opposite corner of the court.
Go: A quick set to the outside hitter, timed so the hitter is mid-approach as the set is made.
Hut: A higher, slower set to the outside hitter, allowing more time for the hitter to approach.
K1 (First Tempo): A rapid attack close to the setter at the front of the court.
K7 (Shoot): A fast attack that travels 3-4 meters away from the setter.
KC (Push): A quick attack slightly farther from the setter than the K1 tempo.
Line Shot: A straight attack along the sideline.
Pipe: A back-row attack executed from the center of the court by the outside hitter.
Quick: A fast-paced attack where the middle blocker jumps in front of the setter to strike the ball at its peak.
Red: A fast-paced set to the opposite hitter on the right side.
Roll Shot: A soft, high-arching attack intended to go over the blockers.
Slide: A quick attack where the middle blocker runs behind the setter and jumps off one foot.
Spike: A powerful overhand hit aimed downward into the opponent’s court.
Tip: A gentle shot over the net usually using the fingertips, designed to catch the defense off guard.
5: A high set to the opposite hitter on the right side of the court.

Volleyball Serve Terms

Deep Serve: A serve targeting the back of the opponent's court.
Float Serve: A serve with no spin, causing unpredictable movement.
Gap Serve: A serve aimed between two receivers, causing confusion.
Hybrid Serve: A deceptive serve combining elements of float and topspin.
Jump Float Serve: A serve combining a jump with a no-spin motion, making it hard to predict.
Jump Serve: A powerful serve performed by jumping and hitting the ball, adding speed and force.
Jump Topspin Serve: A jump serve with added topspin, making it aggressive and difficult to return.
Overhand Serve: A more advanced serve where the ball is struck with the hand above the shoulder.
Round-house Serve: A serve where the player stands sideways, tosses the ball, and strikes it with a round-house motion above their head.
Short Serve: A serve that lands just over the net, often surprising the defense.
Side-arm Serve: A variation of the underhand serve where the player serves the ball sideways.
Slice Serve: A serve hit with a glancing blow, causing it to curve away from the receiver.
Topspin Serve: A serve hit with topspin, causing it to drop quickly after crossing the net.
Underhand Serve: A basic serve where the ball is struck from below hip level.

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Passing & Setting Names

1st-2nd-3rd Story: Refers to the setter’s contact point. Just as with an elevator, a 1st Story setter will be a beginner initiating contact close to their forehead, while an advanced, more deceptive setter will contact the ball high at 3rd Story.
1st-2nd-3rd Tempo: Refers to the height of the pass. A 1st tempo passer is an advanced passer passing the ball at or below the height of the antenna. A 3rd tempo passer is a beginner hoping to pass the ball high so that the setter may have more time to get to the ball.
Bump set: When an athlete chooses to use their forearm rather than their hands to set a ball to their hitter.
Drop-step: Pivoting and shuffling to play a ball that is high above the shoulder.
Hand pass: When a passer will choose to pass a serve with their hands rather than their forearm. The pass will require the passer to stiffen their wrist and play the ball further away from their forehead.
Left-knee Pass: When a passer steps back slightly to play the ball late off their left side. This is a non-linear pass.
Linear Passing: Passing when facing your target (setter).
Lung-step Pass: When a passer lunges to pass a ball. This is normally a pass to the right or left of the passer.
Non-Linear Passing: Passing while facing the ball and angling your platform to the target.
Quick set: Refers to a short set usually delivered to the middle attacker.
Run through: A pass in which an athlete will run to pass a ball and shortens their steps to “run through” the ball when passing.
Shoot set: When a player sets a quick set along the net.
Tilt set: When an athlete sets a ball off their shoulder rather than squaring to their target.

Digging & Defence

6-Back Defense: When position 6 stays deep to defend the back of the court.
6-Up Defense: When position 6 is up defending tips and off-speed shots.
Back-roll: A recovery skill normally following a one-arm save.
Beach Dig: When an athlete brings their open hands together to protect themselves against a hard-driven ball.
Chicken wings: When a blocker bends their elbow and plays the ball off that elbow as they are coming off a block.
Collapse: A defender dropping to one knee to defend a ball hit low on their midline. The athlete may bend their elbows to the floor to extend their reach.
Cover: When a team bunches around their hitter to defend the court in case they are blocked by the opponent.
Dive: When an athlete who is running for a ball dives to play it before it bounces off the floor.
Net Ball: When a player must play the ball coming off the net.
One-arm save: The athlete plays a ball with the inside of their forearm.
Overhead Dig: When a player uses their hands to defend against a ball.
Pancake: Placing your open hand on the floor to allow the ball to bounce off your hand without touching the floor.
Perimeter Defense: Often referred to as “White Defense” is when a team is committed to a line block. Position 6 will defend seam while position 1 may back up to help defend the line.
Poke: When an athlete makes a partial fist and plays the ball on the heel of their hand when it is high and is otherwise not reachable.
Pump Block: When an athlete shuffles their feet to close the block.
Rotation Defense: Often referred to as “Red Defense” is when a team is committed to a cross-court block and the defenders “rotate” to defend. Position five will defend the seam against the LF attacker.
Shoulder roll: A recovery skill normally following a one-arm save.
Sprawl: When an athlete reaches forward to dig a ball.
Swing Block: When a player crosses their feet to close the block.
Tomahawk: When an athlete backpedaling to play a high ball brings their hands together to play the ball with the side of their hands.