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How to Keep Score in Volleyball

Rally scoring is simple: someone scores every rally. But then you get asked to keep the official book and suddenly there's rotation tracking, libero replacements, substitution limits, and timeout cards. Here's everything that actually matters.

Rally Scoring: The Easy Part

Every rally ends with a point. Doesn't matter who served—whoever wins the rally scores.

That's it. No more side-out scoring where only servers could score. Volleyball switched to rally scoring in 1999 because games were taking forever.

When to Rotate (This Is Where People Get Lost)

Teams only rotate when they WIN THE SERVE FROM THE OTHER TEAM.

Read that again. You don't rotate every point. You don't rotate when you score. You rotate when:

  1. You were receiving serve
  2. You won the rally
  3. You now get to serve

The player in position 2 (front right) rotates to position 1 (back right) and becomes the new server.

If you're already serving and you score? No rotation. Same server continues.

The Six Positions

        (Net)
    4    3    2    ← Front row (can attack at the net)

    5    6    1    ← Back row (can't attack from in front of the 10-foot line)
       (Back)

Position 1 serves. After every side-out, everyone shifts one spot clockwise.

Position Faults

At the moment of serve, players must be in their correct rotational positions relative to each other:

After the serve is contacted, players can move anywhere. That's why setters sprint from back row to the net—they just have to start in position.

If a team is out of rotation when the serve happens: Point and serve go to the other team. The scorekeeper often catches this, not the refs.

Substitutions: The 18-Substitution Rule

Most high school and college volleyball allows 18 team substitutions per set.

Key details:

Example: Your starting setter gets subbed out for a defensive specialist when they rotate to the back row. The setter can come back in ONE more time that set—and only for that same defensive specialist.

Running out of subs: It happens in long sets. If you hit 18 and someone gets injured, you're playing with 5.

Tracking Substitutions

The official scorekeeper records:

The Libero: A Whole Different Thing

The libero is a defensive specialist in a different colored jersey who follows special rules:

Libero rules:

The key difference: Libero replacements DON'T count as substitutions. The libero can enter and exit freely—with restrictions:

Why This Confuses Scorekeepers

The libero tracking sheet is separate from normal substitutions. You're tracking:

Most liberos replace middle blockers when they rotate to the back row (middles are typically weak passers). So you'll see: middle rotates to position 6 → libero replaces them → middle goes back in when they'd rotate to position 5.

Timeouts

Standard rules:

For scorekeepers: Track timeouts on the scoresheet. Refs will usually signal to you, but sometimes coaches just call them and you need to mark it.

Technical timeouts (TV/pro volleyball): Automatic timeouts at 8 and 16 points in each set. Not controlled by teams.

Set and Match Structure

Standard match formats:

Win by 2: Every set requires a 2-point margin. At 24-24, play continues until someone leads by 2. There's no cap—sets can theoretically go to 40-38 or higher.

Fifth set: Goes to 15, win by 2. Teams switch sides at 8 points.

Beach Volleyball Is Different

If you're scoring beach volleyball, the rules change:

The frequent side switches mean lots of short pauses. The score might be 14-7, teams switch, then play resumes immediately.

Points That Confuse People

Net Violations

Foot Faults on Serve

The server must stay behind the end line until after contacting the ball. Any part of the foot on or over the line at contact = point for the other team.

Back Row Attacks

Back row players CAN attack, but must jump from behind the 10-foot line (attack line). If they jump from in front of it and contact the ball above net height, it's a fault.

Back row players can land in front of the line after jumping from behind it—it's about where you jump from.

The Libero Setting Rule

If the libero sets the ball using overhead hands (not a bump) while standing in front of the 10-foot line, the attacker cannot hit the ball above net height. It's a super specific rule that refs sometimes miss.

Common Scoring Scenarios

Serving team hits the ball out: Point to receiving team, receiving team now serves (side-out).

Kill by the receiving team: Point to receiving team + side-out.

Net serve that goes over and in: Legal since 2001. Play continues.

Ball lands on the line: IN. Lines are in-bounds.

Player reaches over the net to block: Legal, as long as they don't interfere with the opponent's play before the attack.

Player touches the ball, then the ball hits the antenna: Fault on the team that touched it last.

Scorekeeper Responsibilities (The Full List)

Before the match:

  1. Get team rosters with jersey numbers
  2. Get starting lineups from both teams
  3. Get designated libero for each team
  4. Set up your scoresheet

During play:

Things to watch for:

Using a Digital Scoreboard

The official paper scoresheet is required for sanctioned play. But a digital scoreboard helps everyone else:

Create a free volleyball scoreboard →

The Cheat Sheet

Points to win a set: 25 (15 in deciding set)

Win by: 2 (no cap)

Substitutions per set: 18 (libero replacements don't count)

Timeouts per set: 2 per team

When to rotate: Only when you win the serve from the opponent

Libero: Different jersey, back row only, unlimited replacements (with one-rally delay)

Start Keeping Score

Make scoring easier with a digital scoreboard that everyone can see:

Create Free Volleyball Scoreboard →

Running a tournament? Set up a bracket to track all your matches, and use a leaderboard for pool play standings.