[MCBear]

refnrev, JOV is the shorthand for Junior Olympic Volleyball, i.e., USAV girls' club.

As to your situation, Omnispiker, if the contact is below the height of the net, it is considered to be the first contact and the team has two more legal contacts remaining. USAV 14.1.1 (which you posted in bold) is quite specific. To be considered a block, the player must be reaching higher than the top of the net when she makes contact with the ball.

Here is goofy example, but I have seen it happen: Girl goes up to block with hands above the top of the net and the attacker slams the ball straight down toward the court. Spike never touches the blocker's hands but makes contact with her foot and pops straight up in the air. Even though the contact was made with the foot (remember that is a legal contact in USAV or NCAA rules), the contact is considered as a block because the player still had hands above the top of the net at the moment of contact. The team has three hits remaining.

Hope that helps to clarify. You must not be doing any 16's, 17's or 18's if you have not encountered JO girls who get above the top of the net.

One word of caution, however, please do not apply this situation to NFHS rules as contact below the waist is still illegal in High School matches.