How Many Innings Are There in Volleyball?

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Volleyball has a lot of rules and terms that might be difficult to understand. If you are curious about this, you might wonder how many innings are played in volleyball, and when this rule was implemented.

How Many Innings Are There in Volleyball?

In current volleyball, there are no innings. However, when the sport was created more than a hundred years ago, it used to have nine innings. On top of that, it had three serves for each team in each inning.

Women playing volleyball one player tries to block the tri-colored ball in a set on an indoor volleyball court

These are some of the first rules implemented in volleyball by its creator William. G. Morgan. Other sports served as inspiration for these rules, however, when volleyball started gaining popularity, it started creating its own rules and terms.

An excellent example of the old rules is that players were able to hit the ball as many times as they wanted to. On top of that, the server had a second opportunity to serve the ball in case they failed the first one. These rules were much more permissive than the current ones.

How Does Scoring Work in Current Volleyball?

In actuality, professional volleyball uses rally scoring. Here, both teams can win points, no matter who’s serving. If a team makes a mistake or simply loses the ball at any given time, it will result in a point for the opponent.

The past scoring rules also dictated that only the serving team could score points. For instance, if your team is serving and throws the ball outside the court, the opposition receives 0 points. Instead, your team would only lose the right to serve.

Volleyball Rules Over the Years

You must understand the evolution of volleyball over time if you want to learn more about how many innings were played. After all, this sport has gone through a lot of changes that have made the game much more exciting and playable.

This is because it required professional rules for the players, coaches, and spectators to abide by since it quickly gained notoriety as a sport. Additionally, the game’s pacing, difficulty, and even entertainment value have all been modified.

Rules From 1895 to 1928

  • William G. Morgan founded volleyball in 1895 and called it “Mintonette.”
  • In 1916, the Philippines created the concept of the ‘’Spike’’ and the ‘’Set’’.
  • In 1917, the point system changed. Prior to that year, players needed to score 21 points to win a set; after the rule change, they just needed to score 15. This was later adjusted in 1998 to the current point system (25 points to win the set).
  • In 1920 the ‘’three hits per side’’ rule came into reality. On top of that, players could play the ball with any part of their body above the waist. Shortly after, the innings were eliminated.
  • The first tournaments started between 1922 and 1928 in the USA. This led to the creation of the United States Volleyball Association (USA Volleyball). After all, there was no organization to apply the rules before this.

Rules From 1928 to Actuality

  • In 1947 the FIVB (Federation Internationale De Volleyball) came into reality to provide the proper rules to all volleyball teams.
  • In 1983, the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) came into reality. Three years later, the WAVP (Woman Association of Volleyball Professionals) came into reality too.
  • In 2000, a new role appeared: the ‘’libero’’; a role that can substitute freely at almost every turn.
  • From 2001 to actuality, the game has gone through many small changes that prohibit certain behaviors. On top of that, there have been small changes regarding the uniform, along with the accessories allowed inside the court.
Women playing beach volleyball wear white sports bras and yellow shorts while the other player wears white and blue sports bra and a bikini

Related Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about innings in volleyball.

Does Beach Volleyball Have Innings?

No, just like indoor volleyball, beach volleyball does not have innings. However, unlike indoor volleyball, there is no proof that beach volleyball had innings in the past. After all, it used to be played as a much more recreational game.

This is also why beach volleyball has different scoring rules; whoever wins two out of three sets is the winner of the match. To do it, you need to score 21 points with a 2-point advantage.

Why Were Innings Eliminated From Volleyball?

Although there is no verified reason why innings were eliminated from volleyball, many assume it was done to improve the game’s pace. This is because people believed that the old version of volleyball was too slow and boring to watch.

Knowing how many innings were played in volleyball allows you to understand how long a game could take. Therefore, many changes were made to make the game quicker and more entertaining for fans and players.

Conclusion

Sports require rules to operate correctly, and volleyball is not an exception. Since its invention, volleyball has undergone several changes that have improved the game’s playability. Because of this, volleyball no longer uses innings.

Alfonso Andrade is an avid sportsman, growing up playing soccer and volleyball. He is a coach and sports analyst, studying the game to analyze performance and help create improvement.