Almost a Mid-air Collision
 

During the 1st third of the season I was reffing a 4A high school match as R1 and witnessed something I had never seen before in all of my many years of officiating volleyball. The receiving team passes a served ball high and to the front court to an area about 6' from the net & about 10' in from the strong side sideline. The back row setter hustles up and starts a jump set while the strong side OH starts and makes an approach to hit the ball. Each seems oblivious of the other. The setter at the top of her jump gets her hands on the ball just as the strong side hitter swings and seemingly hits it out of her hands in what appears to me as simultaneous contact, or two hits. The ball in attack hit mode crosses the net. I think for maybe a 1/3 of a second and allow the play. We play on 'til the end of the rally. I have since talked with two other State Rated officials and neither had seen this play either. Each also said play on. Any thoughts?

Why would you not play on? From the way you describe it, there were not four hits or a back row attack.

In 20+ years, I've seen nothing like that.

Certainly no need for a whistle, if no violation occurred.

It sounds like you're maybe asking if it was simultaneous contact, and the ball was contacted while entirely above the net, would the setter's contact have resulted in an illegal attack?

Maybe? But don't look for trouble. If you aren't sure a fault occurred, it didn't. :D

Almost a mid-air collision
 

Yes, what I'm seeing are two hits. A back row pass, and a simultaneous contact by the setter (back row) and the OH (strong side). All of this occurred above the height of the net and in front of the 10' line. It was a scenario I'd never seen before.

Sounds similar to when a team runs a quick attack using a back-row setter. I would say this is a legal play unless you clearly see the ball contact the setter after the attacker OH hits the ball, which by definition makes this an illegal backrow attack as the setters contact would be the third hit, by rule an attack.

I agree that if you feel the contact was simultaneous it is a no call.