Overhand passes on serves and hits

[wildcatksu]

Let me start off my saying I am a middle school/jr high coach. Our state follows NFHS rules. We have been called several times this season for illegal passes when we try to return serves or attacks with an overhand pass. Of course these were not "clean" sets meaning that the ball might have hit their palms or the hands did not make contact with the ball together. I understand these calls if they were on the second hit but these were hard serves or hits just coming over the net. Am I wrong on my interpretation? We always have a mixed bag of officials, some really great ones and ones that I'm not sure even read the rules. I had one that allowed play off of the back wall. I had to take a time out and point it out in the rule book for her.

I along with the players are starting to get confused since a call is made one night but not the next of legal and illegal hits.