Almost a Mid-air Collision

[Jailaye]

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?