Reaching over

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Another play from camp.

Team A's first contact is directed toward the net. It's very tight to the net, so the setter for Team squats near the center line to dig it out of the bottom of the net.

Before the ball reaches the plane of the net, Team B blocker blocks the ball to the floor on A's side of the net.

I called the blocker for reaching over the net. The observer pointed out that it's only reaching over if the blocker takes away the opportunity for an offensive player to play the ball. And since the setter was nowhere near the ball, the definition "reaching over" hadn't been met. The setter wasn't trying to play the ball.

But in my mind she was going to play the ball, so I thought the blocker took that opportunity away. Thoughts?

The key part of the rule is as follows (assuming HS rules)

9-6-4 (Blocking a ball on the opponents side of the net is permitted......

c. Ball is falling near the net and in the referee judgment not legal member of the attacking team could make a play on the ball.

could make a play on the ball.

as described in the OP, the setter was positioning herself so she could make a play on the ball. This was denied her by the opponent reaching over the net and blocking the ball in a manner that denied her the opportunity to play the ball out of the net.

I have reaching over on this all day and everyday based on what was described.

To add to this, this question was brought up at our officials clinic several years ago. The question was, if, in the referees judgment the only play that could be made was a diving attempt to save the ball, what would the call be. The response was the diving attempt would be made by a person in position to play the ball, therefore the only way our observer would not call this is if no legal player from the team was anywhere near where the ball would land if it wasn't contacted. The official who told us this is an official with multiple years of NCAA exeperience as an official and who has worked multiple state finals, plus has significant USAV experience.