D: Play of the Ball / PASSING

1. Can a serve ever be passed overhead?

    Maybe; "receiving a served ball with an overhead pass using

    open hands is not necessarily a fault." You might be able to get

    away with it on a high, soft underhand serve, but expect to hear a

    "9" on the Groan Index. Be safe, with this kinda serve you've got

    plenty of time to get in position and give your setter a perfect pass.

2.  Are double hits ever legal?

    Yes, the first contact of the ball by the receiving team can be a

    double, but must consist of a single continuous attempt to play the

    ball  , say, shoulder - head or wrist - upper arm, but always with NO

    finger contact/action. Remember, the rules clearly state that the

    successive contact rule applies to the first team hit regardless of

    whether it is in response to a spike, block, serve, tip, dump, free

    ball, etc. The rules make no distinction between a 'hard hit' ball and

    a 'soft hit' ball (tip). In all other cases, double hits are illegal.

3.  What about playing the ball with 2 separated fists?

    On the first attempt to play a ball this is ok.

    This is considered "multiple contacts during a single attempt to play

    the ball." As long as there is NO FINGER action and it's one motion,

    it's ok. The key here is that it is "one attempt" to play the ball - if

    you raised your fists at the same time it's legal. Be warned that some

    ref's will call this a double and some 'discussion' might ensue.

4.  What's considered a lift and what's a legal pass?

    Here's a commentary that ALL players and refs should know:

      Ball Contact - Contact with the ball must be brief. When a

      player sets or hits the ball hard, it sometimes stays very briefly

      in contact with the player's hands. In such cases, contacting the

      ball from below or contacting a ball received from high in the air

      would not necessarily constitute a fault. The following actions of