How to Score a Point in Volleyball Easily – Beginners Guide

Imagine yourself standing at the service line, the ball in your hands. The crowd is cheering, and your teammates are counting on you. You take a deep breath and serve the ball with all your might. The ball sails over the net and lands perfectly on the opponent’s court. But have you earned a point?

In this article, we’ll teach you how to score a point in volleyball. Everything you need to know about if you are a beginner about the point scoring system in volleyball. We’ll cover the basics, like how to serve, pass, set, and hit the ball. We’ll also give you some tips on how to force the opponent to commit errors and score points easily.

Want to know: How to Play Volleyball Like a Pro?

Volleyball is a game that is  played with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. The decision about which team wins is based on points table, so it’s important to understand the volleyball point system to win the match whether you want to play defensively or offensively.

Lets start understanding how does volleyball scoring work like what point means.

Basic Scoring in a Volleyball Match

Volleyball scoring rules are simple. A team scores a point when these 2 conditions are met

1. The ball lands on the opponent’s court within the boundaries and the opponent fails to return it over the net.
2. The opponent hits the ball out of bounds or commits a fault/foul.

if either condition met, a team gets a point. So understanding of basic volleyball rules are the key to success.

But, do you know, different scoring standards are followed which have different rule. Don’t worry we have discussed them in this beginner’s guide.

How to score a point in volleyball easily – Beginners’ Guide

Scoring points in volleyball can be straightforward once you grasp the basics. There are six primary ways to update your points table in volleyball. These include serving an ace, successfully executing a powerful spike, capitalizing on a block, making the opponent commit an error, landing a well-placed tip, or forcing the opponent to hit the ball out of bounds. These are explained below:

6 Best Ways to Score a Point in Volleyball

To understand how do points work is not so hard if you know these 6 best Volleyball point scoring methods. All you need is to practice these tips to enhance your score and force the ball to hit the ground on the opponent’s side of the net

1. Ace: An ace is a serve that lands directly on the opponent’s court and the opponent fails to return it. You can make points by serving an ace, aim for the corners of the court and serve with power.
2. Kill: A kill is a hit that lands on the opponent’s court and the opponent fails to return it. To hit a kill, aim for the open spots on the court and hit the ball with power.
3. Block: A block is when a player jumps up and prevents the opponent from hitting the ball over the net. To block a hit, jump up as high as you can and reach out with your arms.
4. Tip: A tip is a soft hit that redirects the ball over the net and onto the opponent’s court. To tip a hit, use your fingertips to redirect the ball.
5. Error: The opponent commits a fault, such as hitting the ball out of bounds or touching the net. To force the opponent to commit an error, serve and hit the ball accurately and with power.
6. Side out: The opponent fails to return the ball over the net. To force a side out, pass the ball well and set it up for your hitters.

Point Scoring Tips for Players – Strategies for Beginners

Here are 5 helpful tips for players to score points more effectively. You can contribute more to your team’s success on the volleyball court if you follow these point scoring tips.

1. Focus on your positioning on the court to be ready for a scoring opportunity.
2. Improve your serving technique to put pressure on the opposing team from the start.
3. Work on your hitting skills to aim for open spots on the opponent’s court.
4. Communicate with your teammates to set up successful plays and capitalize on the opponent’s weaknesses.
5. Stay focused and maintain a positive attitude throughout the game to stay motivated and make the most of every scoring chance.

Different Point Systems in Volleyball 

There are 2 point scoring systems in volleyball mainly known as “Rally Scoring System” & “Side out Scoring system”. Each method has its own set of rules and the choice between them often depends on the level of play.

How to score a point in volleyball with the rally scoring system is very simple. A team can get a point on any serve, regardless of which team is serving. If a team reaches 25 points with a two-point lead first, it wins the set. 

If the score is tied at 24-24, the game goes into extra points which is called deuce. The first team to reach 26 points with a two-point lead wins the set. 

Want to Learn: How many sets are in a Volleyball Match?

Volleyball Scoring Variations

Volleyball scoring variations are different ways of scoring points in the game. Depending on the level of play, like high school, college, or the Olympics, volleyball scoring variations can add an extra layer of excitement and challenge to the game. 

How volleyball scoring works? There are total 7 diverse approaches to calculate points in volleyball but the most common and widely followed variation is Rally Scoring, Other Volleyball scoring format alternatives include:

1. side-out scoring
2. Olympic volleyball scoring
3. international volleyball scoring
4. college volleyball scoring
5. high school volleyball scoring
6. beach volleyball scoring.

Here is a brief overview of each volleyball scoring variation:

Rally Scoring in Volleyball

Rally scoring was introduced to volleyball in 1999. Before rally scoring, volleyball used a side-out scoring system (explained in later sections). Rally scoring made the game more exciting and faster-paced.

Rally scoring is used in all levels of volleyball, from youth leagues to the professional and Olympic levels. It has been well-received by players, coaches, and fans alike.

Benefits of Rally Scoring

There are several benefits to rally scoring, including:

• It is easier to understand and learn by the beginners
• It makes the game more accessible to new players.
• It rewards teams for good play, regardless of whether they are serving or receiving.
• It creates more opportunities for teams to score points and make the game more competitive.

Side-Out Scoring

What is a side out in volleyball? According to Side out scoring system, A team only receive a point when they are serving. If the receiving team wins the rally, they rotate positions and serve. The number of total points are also different in side out scoring, the teams needs 15 points to win the set with a two-point lead.

Deduce rule also apply here as If the score is tied at 14-14, the game goes into extra points. The first team to reach 16 points with a two-point lead wins the set.

Olympic Volleyball Scoring

Olympic volleyball scoring is similar to rally scoring, but with a few key differences. In Olympic volleyball scoring, only the serving team wins the points. Another key difference is that the first team to win three sets wins the match. This means that there is no fifth and deciding set if the score is tied at two sets each.

International Volleyball Scoring

International volleyball scoring is the same as Olympic volleyball scoring except for one key difference. A team can earn a point on any serve, regardless of which team is serving similar to rally scoring. This means that a team can score a point even if they are receiving.

College Volleyball Scoring

College volleyball scoring is the same as international volleyball scoring, with one exception. In college volleyball scoring, a team must win five sets to win the match. This means that there is a fifth and deciding set if the score is tied at two sets each.

High school volleyball Scoring

High school volleyball scoring is the same as college volleyball scoring, with one exception. In high school volleyball scoring, a team can only win a set by two points mean deduce will happen.

Beach volleyball scoring is similar to international volleyball scoring, but with a few key differences. In beach volleyball, each team only has two players instead of six. Additionally, there is no net rotation in beach volleyball. Another key difference in beach volleyball scoring is that a team must win two sets to win the match. This means that there is no third set if tied up.

FAQs

How many points are needed to win the game?

The number of points needed to win a volleyball game depends on the scoring variation being used. In rally scoring, the first team to reach 25 points with a two-point lead wins the set. The first team to win three sets wins the match

What is the volleyball scoring sheet?

The volleyball scoring sheet is a piece of paper that is used to track the score of a volleyball game. The scoring sheet typically includes the following information:

• The names of the two teams playing
• The scores of each set
• The total score of the match
• The names of the players who scored points
• The types of points that were scored (e.g., ace, kill, block, tip, error, side out)

How long is a volleyball match?

The length of a volleyball match varies depending on the number of sets played and the length of each set. A typical volleyball match lasts about 1-2 hours.

How many points is a score worth in volleyball?

Each score in volleyball is worth one point.

Can you score a point during serve?

Yes, you can score a point on a serve in volleyball. An ace is a serve that lands directly on the opponent’s court and the opponent fails to return it. This results in a point for the serving team.

Final Words

To get scores in volleyball may seem daunting at first, but with practice and dedication you will learn how to Score a Point in Volleyball. You can fill out scoring sheet with points easily if you remember to serve accurately with power, pass the ball well, set the ball up for your hitters, and hit the ball hard and accurately. 

Also, develop your court awareness and anticipation skills. With regular practice and dedication, you can become a skilled scorer in volleyball competition.