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This was just posted on the NCAA portal on RQ+:
NCAA Women’s Volleyball
Libero Overhand Finger Pass
Date: October 6, 2023
Rule: 12.1.2.4
Question:
I was R1 on a match where this play happened. The libero overhand finger passed the ball to a teammate who then attacked the ball over when the ball was completely higher than the top of the net. My judgement on the play was that it was a defensive movement/reaction, and I did not whistle a fault. However, my partner did not agree with my interpretation of the rule. Since then, we have been asking other high-level referees from around the country in an effort to find clarity. The result of these questions have led me to believe that there is ABSOLUTELY NOT a clear consensus, as some believe that there is no judgment to be had in this situation, and any overhand finger pass in this situation is a fault. I've been trying to find a rules interp from previous seasons which addresses this situation, but I have not been successful. What is the correct interpretation/ruling?
Answer:
Rule 12.1.2.4 applies in this situation. A teammate may not complete an attack-hit when, at the moment of the attack-hit, the ball is entirely above the of the net and the ball is coming from an overhand finger pass by the libero in the front zone. In this play, the libero used an overhand finger pass and thus a fault should have been whistled for an illegal attack.
An overhand finger pass is when the libero uses fingers to play the ball, and there are currently no exceptions that allow certain “types” of finger passes to be used by a libero in the front zone. A defensive, reactionary, protective action where fingers are not used (such as the ball being played with the sides of the hands or palms of the hands) would not be considered a finger pass.
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