Libero attack / attack over the net
 

ok, I have two questions but they are around the same topic, ball vs plane! I know the libero (speaking NFHS rules) can not attack the ball anywhere (attack line does not matter) on the floor, but where does the ball have to be? My understanding is that the ball has to be completely above the net for this to be an illegal attack. Meaning that if a plan parallel to the floor was extended and any part of the ball hits that plane then she is legal on the attack. Is this correct? Or does it have to be completely below this plane?

Same type of question on attacking over the net. I thought if the ball has broken the plane of the net, plane extending from the top of the net to the ceiling as long as the ball has touched this plane the "defense" is ok to attack that ball.

All help is appreciated.

Thanks.

Dave,

To answer your questions:

1) If, your judgment as Referee, any part of the ball is below the top of the net when the libero attacks it, the attack is considered to be legal.

2) You are correct. Once the ball is in the plane of the net, the opponent may attack the ball or block the ball.

Hope that clarifies things.

Thanks MC,
That is what I thought. I had a night off so I was watching the local HS team play and they called the libero twice for illegal attack, and it is very difficult to believe that the ball was completely over the net IMO, which means nothing when I am sitting in the stands :) But it got me thinking maybe I was calling it wrong and it didnt have to be completely over the net, but I guess it was just a difference of angles and the ball HAD to be over the net or the official wouldn't have called it illegal, right? At least that is what I told all the fans that turned to me (small school a lot of them know me from softball and know I officiate VB also) the old political "she judged the ball was over the net when she hit it. and that is illegal for the libero to do" I did good biting my tongue thinking that girl can't jump high enough to get over the net!! There were also some at the net that appeared to be close, they were a lot closer than the libero, but same answer "she judged it was still on their side of the net when we hit it, that is illegal"

But thanks for letting me know I am not totally crazy....at least for this at least!!