Two players stand on one side of the net attacking, while one player is on the other side and will be the blocker.
On the attacking side, a player overhand passes the ball to a team mate who sets it back to him to spike. The blocker make a sideways run and crossover from zone 3 to block the spike.
This drill can be particularly difficult as players must run quickly and adjust their position to get to the contact point.
To ease the task, let the blocker start when he wants, then to increase difficulty ask him to start when ball is being set from Zone 3.
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.
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