Incorrect server situation
 

I was given this scenario that happened during a junior high girls match and asked if the correct ruling was applied;

NFHS rules, first server of the match goes on a run and receiving team can't pass. receiving team coach calls timeout at 0-4. Play continues and receiving team coach calls timeout at 0-9. During timeout, scorekeeper tells R2 that it is the wrong server:eek:. R2 checks (don't know why he/she didn't catch it when checking lineups) and verifies that it is the incorrect server.

After removing all nine points, awarding receiving team a point, and correcting the serving team's lineup, the receiving team's coach asks R2 if he/she gets back the timeouts used while the incorrect server was serving. R2 indicates that the timeouts were used and can't be negated.

I know that I should know this but was the R2 correct? I'm thinking about this while watching a baseball game on television and don't have my books handy. I know that I'll forget if I don't post this now.

In this situation, the R2 should remove the nine points, correct the team line-up, award a point to the opposing team, and remove any substitutions, time-outs, and sanctions imposed on the opposing team. Essentially, the set is starting over with a penalty point and serve awarded to the receiving team.

Given that there was a timeout in the middle of the action, are the officials certain that the incorrect server served all 9 points, and the team didn't change servers during a time out accidently? If I were a coach I would argue that the correct server was serving, thus those points were legal.

I think it is somewhat of a HTBT situation, and it is also based on what the officials remembers from the situation. If you know the blonde haired blue eyed girl served all the points, and every other member of the team is a brunette, then you are pretty sure how many incorrect they served. Teams with identical twins are much more interesting, I had this last week in MS ball, with an incorrect server situation. Thankfully, it was a scorekeeper error and not a mistake by the team that had identical twins serving back to back in the rotation.

I look at their number, it is easier than hair color. ;)