Mechanics question

[Toadman15241]

I am not a volleyball official, but because I officiate other sports when I went to a D1 second round match Saturday I found myself watching the four officials. One play stuck out to me, and I was wondering what the correct mechanics are.

A player from team A hits the ball over the net, close to the antenna on U's side. The line judge rules that it passed inside the antenna and play continues. Eventually, team A wins the point. After the point, team B's coach complains to the U about that call. The U then goes over to the R and speaks to her for a minute, and the point is then awarded to team B. Is this typical, or did the U just screw up by not blowing her whistle at the time the ball crossed outside the antenna?

[Andy]

I don't have a lot of practical experience with NCAA ball, but I will comment based on what I know and what you stated.

The postion of the ball relative to the antenna is a judgement call on the part of the line judge. If there was no signal from the line judge, the ball was judged to be legal and play should continue.

I find it very doubtful that the coach's complaints changed a judgement call, especially if the R2 did not speak to the line judge.

Perhaps the coach's comments had to do with another aspect of play that caused the reversal of the point. Right off the top of my head, I can't think of what that may be.

Based on the fact that this was a second round NCAA tournament match, I have to believe that the officials were among the best in the country. I just can't see an official at that level allowing a coach's comment on a judgement call to lead that official to convince his/her partner to reverse an awarded point.

Perhaps some of the people we have on this board that are much more familiar with NCAA ball will have a better insight.

[Grrrrller87]

R1 should have given a signal that indicated the result. No one that I have met would have not made the call (as an R2) on the ball being out in respect to the anntenae and then provided information to R1 that would support an out call.

There had to be more to this call....

Keep watchin' the refs, they're sneaky!!!

[MCBear]

As Andy and John both indicated, there had to be more to the play than what you described. If the Line Judge was doing their job, they would have had an angle to be sure whether or not the ball crossed the net inside or outside the antenna. In addition, if it was close to the antenna, when I am an R2, I am moving to get an angle to see whether or not the ball crosses inside or above and outside the antenna.

Since the R2 went across the court to converse with the R1, I am led to believe that there is more to the play that we do not know.

[jdmumpire12]

Hello,

Iam a PAVO National Referee and can you tell me which match you was watching ??

DM