4v4 Volleyball Rules – Portland State Intramural Sports
1. Eligibility
1.1. In order to be eligible to participate in intramural activities, participants must be a current
Portland State student enrolled in at least one credit hour, or a faculty/staff member.
1.1.1. All participants must provide a valid Portland State ID prior to every game in order
to be eligible to play.
1.2. All participants must sign an Assumption of Risk waiver to participate.
1.3. Participants may not participate if they have played the sport under the university’s
varsity program within the last calendar year.
1.4. Participants may request to protest an opposing participant’s eligibility, and the
enforcement of specific rules.
1.5. In the case of an ejection, the participant must leave the premises. The participant must
also meet with the Intramural Sports Coordinator before he/she may participate again in
any intramurals activity.
1.6. If a team does not have the minimum number of participants, three (3), present after five
(5) minutes, the game will be considered a forfeit.
1.6.1. Dropping below the minimum number of participants, by ejection, will constitute a
team disqualification and the game will be considered a forfeit.
1.7. Team rosters will freeze one (1) week prior to the beginning of league playoffs.
2. Equipment
2.1. Casts and/or any other item deemed to be dangerous by the official or supervisor may not
be worn during the game.
2.2. All participants must wear non-marking, rubber-soled, close-toed athletic shoes.
2.3. Jewelry may not be worn at any time.
3. Game Format
3.1. Referees will ask captains to play rock-paper-scissors before the match. This will
determine who has choice of service or court.
3.1.1. Service at the beginning of each game will rotate between teams.
3.1.2. The same procedure from before the match will be used to determine court or
service if there is a third game.
3.2. All matches will be given 45 minutes to play up to three (3) games.
3.2.1. There will be a one minute intermission between each game.
3.2.2. A match will end when time expires, or one team wins two of the three games.
3.2.2.1. If the match ends due to time constraint, the team with the most games won
will be deemed the winner.
3.2.2.2. If the teams are tied in won games, and are in the third game, it will be the
team who is three (3) points away from a winning score that will be considered
the winner. If a team is not within three points, it will be the team with the most
points who is considered the winner.
3.2.3. If a team wins the match, and there is enough time left over, teams may continue to
play; the outcome of any following games will not count toward official scoring.
3.3. Games will follow rally scoring rules.
3.3.1. Each team can win during play for a point, regardless of which team serves
3.3.2. Games one (1) and two (2) will be considered won when a team reaches 25 points.
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3.3.2.1. To win, a team must win by two (2) points.
3.3.2.2. Scoring for games will be capped at 27 points.
3.3.3. Game three (3) will be considered won when a team reaches 15 points.
3.3.3.1. To win, a team must win by two (2) points.
3.3.3.2. Scoring will be capped at 17 points.
Positioning
4.1. Participants must maintain a consistent service order.
4.1.1. Service must alternate between at least three (3) other participants, of the same
team, before one is allowed another service opportunity.
4.2. Participants are free to position themselves wherever they would like on the court.
4.2.1. There will be no positional faults.
4.2.2. There will be no restrictions as to who may participate in blocks, or attacks.
Substitutions
5.1. Substitutions may be made after a point has ended.
5.1.1. FOR COED ONLY: There must be two (2) participants of each gender on the court
during any given point.
5.1.2. Substitutions are unlimited, but must be granted by a match official.
Court Dimensions
6.1. Play boundaries will be the white volleyball lines as marked on the court(s).
6.1.1. If a ball contacts the white line during attacking play, it will be considered inbounds.
6.2. The net will be 2.43m (7’115/8”) high.
6.2.1. If a ball hits, and crosses, the net on a service it will be considered in play.
6.2.2. If a ball hits the net during play, it will be considered in-play.
6.2.3. The ball will be considered out of play:
6.2.3.1. If participant contacts any part of the net, including cable attachments and
antennas.
6.2.3.2. If there is interference by a participant making contact with an opponent
who is making an effort to play the ball.
6.2.4. A participant may put their hands under the net in order to play a low ball.
6.2.4.1. The participant may not obstruct an opposing player.
6.2.4.2. The participant may not touch the net.
6.2.4.3. The participant may not touch the floor on the opponents’ side of the court.
Playing the Ball
7.1. Any time a participant makes contact with the ball it shall be considered as a play on the
ball.
7.1.1. Contact with the ball shall be considered legal when the ball contacts any part of the
body above the waist, or below the knee.
7.1.2. Contact with the ball shall be considered illegal when the ball is deemed to have
come to rest on any part of the participant’s body.
7.1.2.1. Examples include, but are not limited to, catching, holding, or throwing the
ball.
7.1.2.2. Rolling will also be considered illegal because of the prolonged contact with
the body.
7.1.3. Attacking, or blocking, a service will be considered an illegal contact.
7.2. A team may have a maximum of three contacts on the ball during an offensive possession.
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7.2.1. Any additional contacts shall be considered illegal contact, and the opponent will
win the point.
7.2.2. The only exception to this rule is when a successful block occurs (see section 8.2)
7.3. If a participant contacts the ball twice in succession, or the ball touches multiple body
parts off a bounce, it will be considered an illegal contact; called a double hit.
7.3.1. Simultaneous contact by opponents will not be considered a double hit.
7.3.1.1. Whichever team receives the ball off a simultaneous contact will have the
right to play the ball three times during the offensive possession.
7.3.1.2. If the ball is held between opponents’ hands during a simultaneous contact it
will be considered a double fault.
7.3.1.2.1.
A replay of the point will occur in this situation.
8. Blocking
8.1. Blocking is the act at the net which intercepts the ball coming from the opponent’s side by
making contact with the ball before it crosses the net, as it crosses the net, or immediately
after it crosses the net.
8.1.1. Hands of the blocker(s) may reach over the net; however, the blocker(s) shall not
contact a ball which is entirely on the opponent’s side of the net until the opponents
have completed their attack on the ball.
8.2. The team that has made a legal block shall have the right to three (3) more contacts with
the ball
8.2.1. A block isn’t considered a contact that counts against the three (3) allowed in an
offensive possession.
8.3. Any participant that makes a blocking contact shall have the right to make the next contact
with the ball.
8.3.1. This contact will count as one of the offensive team’s three (3) contacts.
9. Service
9.1. The server must wait for the official to signal (blows a whistle and motions with his/her
hand) before attempting a serve.
9.1.1. The first infraction of this rule will result in a re-serve.
9.1.2. The second infraction of this rule will result in a side-out, and therefore a loss of
point and service.
9.1.3. The server will have five seconds, after the official signals, to make their service.
9.2. The server must make contact with the ball with one hand, fist, or arm while the ball is
held or after it is released into the air by the server.
9.2.1. The server may catch a bad toss as long as no swinging motion has been attempted.
9.3. The server will not make contact with the ground in front of the baseline prior to contact
with the ball.
9.4. A good service must land inside the opponent’s court, or on one of the boundary lines,
including the net.
9.4.1. The ball must cross into the opponent’s court after touching the net for the ball to be
considered live.
9.4.2. If the ball lands in the court of the service team after touching the net, service and
point will be awarded to the opposing team.
9.5. A team continues serving until committing a foul, losing the point, or the game ends.
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10. Screening
10.1. A screen is an intentional obstruction of the receiving team’s view of the server, or flight
of the ball from the serve.
10.1.1. At the moment of service, it is illegal for participants of the serving team to raise
their arms or place their bodies in a position to hide the server and the flight of the
served ball.
10.1.2. Participants may not jump, or form groups of two (2) or more players to conceal the
server/serve.
10.1.3. Screening will result in a penalty and a point awarded to the opposing team.
11. Live Ball/Dead Ball
11.1. The ball becomes live when it is legally contacted for service.
11.2. The ball becomes dead when:
11.2.1. The ball touches the antennas, or any part of the net outside the playing court.
11.2.2. The ball touches the court.
11.2.3. The ball touches a permanent object, excluding the net, above or outside the playing
court.
11.2.3.1. Exception: The ball may be played off a ceiling or overhead obstruction if it is
legally played by the team which played it into the object.
11.2.4. A player commits a fault.
11.2.5. A served ball contacts and does not cross above the net.
11.2.6. The official blows the whistle, for any reason.
11.3. The point shall be replayed if a ball from an adjacent court enters the playing area.
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