Volleyball Scoring System: A Beginner’s Guide

Volleyball uses rally point scoring: every rally wins a point for one team, no matter who served. Sets are played to 25 points with a two-point lead, a deciding fifth set goes to 15, and the first team to win three sets wins the match.

This guide explains each part of the scoring system, what happens at 24-24, how PVL teams earn standings points, and how to read the scoreboard on a broadcast.

How volleyball scoring works at a glance

Under the FIVB Official Volleyball Rules, which the international game and most national leagues follow, scoring breaks down into four levels:

There is no point cap. If a set reaches 24-24, play continues until one team leads by two, so sets can finish 26-24, 30-28 or higher.

How rally point scoring works

Every rally ends with a point for one team. What changes is who serves next:

• The serving team wins the rally: it scores a point and the same player serves again.
• The receiving team wins the rally: it scores a point, wins the right to serve, and rotates one position clockwise before serving.

Points do not only come from kills and aces. A team also scores when the opponent commits a fault, such as a serve into the net, a net touch, a double contact or four hits (FIVB rule 6.1). A red card for misconduct also gives the opponent a point and the serve.

Winning a set: what happens at 24-24

A set ends when a team reaches 25 points with at least a two-point lead. If the score reaches 24-24, the set goes into what many fans call “deuce”: play continues until one team is two points clear.

Between sets, there is a three-minute interval and the teams change ends.

The deciding fifth set

If a match reaches two sets each, a fifth set decides it. The fifth set is shorter: the first team to 15 with a two-point lead wins. When the leading team reaches 8 points, the teams switch ends without delay and the same players keep their positions (FIVB rule 18.2).

Because it is only 15 points, a short run of serves can swing a fifth set quickly, which is why these sets are often the tensest part of a match.

How a match result is written

A match score shows sets won, followed by the points in each set. For example:

3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-18, 25-22)

That reads as: the winning team took the match three sets to one, losing only the second set.

A match can finish 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2. A 3-0 result is often called a sweep.

How PVL standings points work

In the PVL, the match result also decides how many standings points each team earns (Wikipedia):

Teams are ranked by wins first, then by these points. If they are still level, set ratio (sets won divided by sets lost) and then point ratio (points won divided by points lost) break the tie. That makes every set and every point count, even in a match a team is losing. See how it plays out in [LINK: PVL Standings].

How to read a volleyball scoreboard

Most broadcast scoreboards show the same four pieces of information:

1. Team names, usually as short codes.
2. Sets won by each team in the match so far.
3. Points in the current set.
4. A serve indicator, often a small ball or arrow, showing which team is serving.

Some broadcasts also show the points from completed sets, or flag a set point or match point when a team is one point from winning.

Frequently asked questions

How many points do you need to win a volleyball set?

25 points in sets one to four, and 15 in a deciding fifth set. In both cases, a team must win by at least two points.

Is there a maximum score in a volleyball set?

No. If the score reaches 24-24, or 14-14 in the fifth set, play continues until one team leads by two.

Do you only score when you serve?

No. Volleyball uses rally point scoring, so a point is scored on every rally, whichever team served.

How many sets are in a volleyball match?

Up to five. The first team to win three sets wins, so a match can end 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2.

Why do PVL teams get points for losing?

A team that loses 3-2 still earns one standings point, because it pushed the match to five sets. Losses in three or four sets earn nothing.

Keep learning

Now that you can follow the score, learn the rest of the game in Volleyball Rules and Volleyball Positions Explained, then see the scoring system at work in the latest PVL Standings and match coverage on ArenaPlus Insider.