Player substitution question
 

Are there any scenarios where a player in position five can replace a player in position six using substitutions and/or a libero? Several of us parents were debating this last night during a high school game. I say no. A player in position five must finish a game (what used to be called a set) in the position she started in. Am I wrong?

- Mildly confused Illinois parent

The rule you are looking for is rule in NFHS is 10-3-3, and you are correct they have to stay in the same lineup position for the entire set under normal conditions. There are exceptional substitute situations for injured / ill players in 10-3-6 also listed below.

ART. 3 . . . A re-entering player shall not return to the set during the same dead ball in which the player was replaced. The re-entering player shall assume the original position in the serving order in relation to other teammates.

ART. 6 . . . When teams have exhausted their 18 team substitutions or when no legal substitutes are available, an exceptional substitution is permitted only for an injured/ill player in the following priority:

a. By a teammate who has never played in the set or a player who has played
in that position earlier in the set;

b. By any legal teammate on the bench, regardless of previous position played. An injured/ill player replaced by an exceptional substitution may not re-enter a set in which the exceptional substitution takes place. A team
may not play with fewer than six players if there is a legal substitute (including an exceptional substitution) available;

c. An exceptional substitution is counted as a team substitution if the team has not exhausted its 18 team substitutions.

As Dave indicated, the only exception is for the exceptional substitute for an injured player. In the normal case you are correct. A player who plays in position 5 on the scoresheet cannot occupy any other position on the scoresheet.

The one error in your statement, NFHS volleyball is played as a 5 set match. We stopped playing games about 6-7 years ago.

...except in those states where we play 2 out of 3. :D

What states play 2 out of 3 on varsity?

I know Illinois does. Third set goes to 25.

Almost all tournaments are 2 of 3 for varsity here in cental ca.....

I meant regular season varsity 2 out of 3 everyone.We do 2 out of 3 varsity tournaments here too.What's the longest stretch of days in a row you're scheduled to work this year? Mine is so far 5 in a row between high school and college