Set up the same as in the previous drill. The serving players runs forward after serving while the receiver passes to the setter. The player who didn't receive the ball attacks the set and approaches for a kill. The server then tries to dig the attacked ball in Zone 1.
The main goal of this drill is to teach players to cover zones after passing. On the other side, players still work on consistency when passing and receiving.
Most teams win the dig and then hand the point straight back with a slow, predictable transition swing. The best 2026 sides treat the moment after the dig as their sharpest scoring chance, feeding the middle in transition and running first-tempo attacks off a defensive ball.
When the first pass breaks down, most teams collapse into a high ball straight into the opposing block. The best 2026 sides are building structured out-of-system offences that turn broken plays into scoring chances using libero sets, left-side options and disciplined hitter routes.
The modern pipe attack has evolved from a high middle-back set into a flat, fast weapon that arrives at quick tempo. Coaches at every level are now drilling it as a primary scoring option, forcing blockers into impossible decisions and unlocking four-hitter offences.