Law 9: Playing the Ball

A team has at most three hits, in addition to blocking; a fourth is the fault of four hits.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1 · recall

Consecutive hits by one player are not allowed, except in the cases of Rules 9.2.3, 14.2 and 14.4.2.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.1 · recall

Simultaneous touches by team-mates count as two hits, except at the block.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.2.1 · applied

Only the player who touched it counts, and a collision between players is not a fault.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.2.1 · applied

After a simultaneous touch over the net, the team the ball goes to starts a fresh set of three hits.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.2.2 · applied

If such a ball goes out, the fault is the team on the opposite side from where it lands, so team A wins the rally.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.2.2; Casebook 2024 3.19 · applied

Each team plays in its own area, but the ball may be retrieved from beyond the free zone and over the whole scoring table.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9 · applied

Blocking does not count among the team's three hits, so block, dig, set and attack is legal.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1, 14.4.1 · applied

Blocking adds nothing to the count, a lone dig adds one, and touches made together add one each.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1, 9.1.2.1 · applied

Team B, receiving the ball, is entitled to another three hits before returning it.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.2.2 · applied

The ball may touch any part of the body.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.2.1 · recall

The ball must not be caught or thrown; it may rebound in any direction.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.2.2 · recall

Several body parts may touch the ball provided the contacts happen at the same time.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.2.3 · recall

At the first hit consecutive contacts are allowed, provided they occur during one action.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.2.3.2 · recall

The Casebook lists the reception of the service, of an attack hit, and of a ball blocked by either team.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.2.3.2; Casebook 2024 3.3 · recall

The hit is judged by the quality of contact, not by the hand position.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.2.1, 9.2.2; Casebook 2024 3.2 · applied

Consecutive contacts by one or more blockers are allowed within one action.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.2.3.1 · recall

B is a catch: the ball comes to rest and is thrown. A palm-up rebound, a one-action first hit and a kick are all legal.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.2, 9.3.3 · applied

A catch can be whistled even at a first hit when two phases, holding then throwing, can be seen.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.3.3; Casebook 2024 3.3 · applied

The block does not count as a hit, and the next contact is the team's first hit with its own exception.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1, 9.2.3.2, 14.2 · applied

Using more than three hits is the fault of four hits.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.3.1 · recall

Within the playing area a player may not take support from a team-mate or any structure or object to hit the ball.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.3, 9.3.2 · recall

A player about to commit a fault, such as touching the net, may be stopped or held back by a team-mate.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.3 · applied

A catch is a ball held and/or thrown instead of rebounding from the hit.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.3.3 · recall

Double contact: one player hits the ball twice in succession, or it touches several parts of the body in succession.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.3.4 · recall

What matters is the moment of playing the ball; no support was taken then, so it is legal play.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.3; Casebook 2024 8.4 · applied

The dig is the first hit, where successive contacts in one action are allowed, so the team used exactly three hits.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1, 9.2.3.2 · applied

Pushing off a team-mate to reach the ball is an assisted hit; being held back, turning on the stand before the hit and colliding are not.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.2.1, 9.1.3; Casebook 2024 8.4 · applied

A catch can happen in one contact, a double contact needs two, and four hits needs four.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.3 · applied

Holding back a team-mate who is about to commit a fault is allowed.

Source: FIVB OVR 2025-2028, Rule 9.1.3 · applied