Reception or dig? That is the question! VolleyStation explains volleyball from the inside - part 2.

As we already know what is reception and how to deal with all the passing terms, now it's time to dive into this topic deeper.

Reception or dig?

The TV commentators often mix those two elements. The most significant difference is that we always have a reception after the serve, even if it is a powerful serve, and the dig happens after an attack or block. You cannot dig the serve nor receive the attack.?

So why do coaches often suggest defending against the opponent's serve instead of receiving it? It's not about mixing up terms but rather a clear indication of the approach to the upcoming reception. Players are supposed to keep the ball in play at all costs without focusing on the precision of the play. But let's not confuse concepts! It's not defense – it's reception. Only the mindset changes (and perhaps a bit of the pass technique).

The other difference is that in reception players try to get the ball close to the net, while in defense they rather avoid that because they need to give their setter comfortable conditions for preparing a counterattack.?

The main goal of defense is preventing the opponent’s team from scoring a point in attack. Defensive elements in volleyball are dig and block. Before the opponent's attack, players set themselves in starting positions that allow them to defend tip and hard attack.

In this case, we can see the double block with four players ready in defense. One player is responsible for hard hits down the line, two players are prepared to defend cross-court shots, and one player is behind the block and is responsible for digging tips and rolls.

Freeball refers to a ball that comes back over the net with either a bump or pass, not a spike. The team that gets it on their side passes the freeball to the setter and has a new opportunity to attack. It is sometimes mistaken with the defense, but it is way different because the attack chance is easier after freeball than after dig because the ball usually returns to the team court slow and high, which allows to pass it precisely to the setter, especially because players in well-organized teams have precisely defined responsibilities which increases the chance of scoring the point. Most importantly, teams organize their position to protect the setter from the first touch. This gives him the opportunity to play all combinations with his hitters, so the opponents have difficulties with blocking this ball.?

A cover is a particular form of dig. When the ball is defended after the block touch, the attacking team can repeat their action and get another chance to spike in this rally. Even though covering often appears to be a matter of chance, teams at the highest level have proper systems and principles for positioning in place. They practice this more frequently than it might seem.

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