2 vs 2
The first player starts the game with a throw over the net. The two players on the other side of the net communicate and one catches the ball, the other moves to the net and faces their partner who passes the ball to them with a high pass from a volley position with the ball above their forehead.
The person at the net holds the ball in a volley position and keeps hold of the ball until their partner is about 2 metres away from the net, facing them with the hand up, nearest the net pointing where they want the next high pass to be placed. The players should then pass the ball high to the area pointed at and that player moves in, catches and plays the ball over the net.
Both players return to a side by side playing position ready to play defence.
This sequence is repeated without trying to score points but in a more cooperative way so that the format of the game can be learned.
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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