Scorer Gives Wrong Server Information

[bob jenkins]

Team A asks for a line-up check. Scorer says next server is the libero. Libero serves and Team A wins the point. Now we find out the scorer was incorrect.

I'm "certain" the ruling is that we don't penalize the team for the wrong server, but we also don't let them benefit from it. Wipe out the point scored when the libero served, put team A in the proper position and let the proper server serve.

There used to be a case play similar to this play with this ruling -- but I couldn't find it last night in a quick search. Any help?

[bob jenkins]

I searched the forum and found that it used to be 5.4.3D. That case seems to have been removed since at least 2020-21 (the oldest books I still have)

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Team A asks for a line-up check. Scorer says next server is the libero. Libero serves and Team A wins the point. Now we find out the scorer was incorrect.

I'm "certain" the ruling is that we don't penalize the team for the wrong server, but we also don't let them benefit from it. Wipe out the point scored when the libero served, put team A in the proper position and let the proper server serve.

There used to be a case play similar to this play with this ruling -- but I couldn't find it last night in a quick search. Any help?

Just one thing that seems off to me even though I know what you are getting at.

The libero never occupies a position in the service order. She is serving for someone in the serving order, but she never actually occupies that place in the order.

Absent the information about the incorrect served being given by the scorer, we would have an incorrect server and a point / side out to the receiving team.

Given that the scorer indicated that the server who the libero was supposed to be serving for was the next server, and that information was incorrect, we now have an error by the officiating crew which has put a team at a disadvantage.

Now given that the error was made by the officials we need something that says what to do. Going back to the 2009-2010 book, we have situation 5.3.3 E. Basically the R2 put the team in the wrong order, the team scored 4 points, then before the opposing team server, the error was recognized. The referee cancels the 4 points scored by Team B, places the correct server for team B in position, and play continues as if the previous 4 points had never been played. "The referee may correct and error by the officiating crew provided the error is detected before the opposing team contacts the ball for serve. "

The wording of 5.3.3a which I suspect is the basis for the 2009-2010 case play is word for word the same as the 2022-2023 rulebook.

Simply put, you don't put a team at a disadvantage because the officials screwed up and gave them incorrect information.

[bbsbvb83]

Below is 5.4.3 SITUATION D. It last appeared in the 2018 - 2019 NFHS Case Book, but has been removed from subsequent editions.

SITUATION: Team A serves the ball into the net, then requests a time-out. When both teams return to the court, the coach of Team B asks for the serving order of his/her team. The second referee places Team B in the wrong serving order. The error is not discovered until Team B has won points with an improper server. Prior to Team A serving, the scorer notifies the referees that Team B had an improper server. After conferring with the second referee, the first referee corrects Team B's serving order, cancels the four points scored with the improper server, and Team B serves with the proper server.

RULING: Correct procedure.

COMMENT: The first referee may correct an error by a member of the officiating crew provided the correction occurs before the opposing team contacts the ball for the serve.