A side out happens when the receiving team wins the rally. They take the serve from the other team, rotate one position clockwise, and serve the next rally. Under today’s rally scoring, they also win a point.
How a side out works
The FIVB Official Volleyball Rules 2025–2028 spell it out: if the receiving team wins a rally, it scores a point and must serve next (rule 6.1.3.2), and when a team gains the right to serve, its players rotate one position clockwise (rule 7.6.2). If the serving team wins the rally, it scores and keeps serving, with no rotation.
Example
- Team A serves. Team B passes, sets and gets a kill.
- Team B has sided out: it scores a point, rotates one spot clockwise, and its new right-back player serves.
- If Team B wins the next rally too, it scores again and the same player keeps serving.
Side-out scoring vs. rally scoring
The phrase comes from the old scoring system. Under side-out scoring, only the serving team could score; when the receiving team won a rally, it just won the serve back, a “side out”, with no point. Sets went to 15, and a team could go a whole rotation without scoring.
Under rally scoring, every rally scores a point for whoever wins it. The FIVB switched in 1999, NCAA college volleyball followed in 2001, and most US high schools switched by 2003. Rally scoring made matches shorter and more predictable: one study found average indoor match length fell from about 96 minutes to about 67 after the change.
| Side-out scoring (old) | Rally scoring (today) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can score | Only the serving team | Whoever wins the rally |
| Set length | 15 points | 25 points (deciding set 15) |
| Receiving team wins the rally | Wins the serve, no point | Wins the serve and a point |
Side-out percentage
Coaches track side-out percentage: the share of rallies a team wins when receiving serve. Siding out consistently means you never let the other team go on a long serving run. It depends on good passing, so it’s closely linked to how well your passers and libero handle serve receive. See volleyball positions explained.
Why siding out matters
- It stops runs. Every side out ends the other team’s serving streak.
- It moves your rotation. Each side out brings a new server and a new front-row lineup.
- It starts with the pass. A good first pass lets your setter run the offense, which is why serve receive gets so much practice time.
Frequently asked questions
Do you get a point for a side out?
Yes, under rally scoring, which almost every league uses today. Under the old side-out scoring, you only won the serve.
Who serves after a side out?
The player who rotates into the right-back position after your team rotates one spot clockwise.
Is side out used in beach volleyball?
Yes. The receiving team wins the serve and a point, though beach teams of two don’t rotate positions the same way; they alternate servers.
What does “side out” mean as slang?
Outside volleyball, it’s sometimes used for getting a turn back or regaining control, borrowed from the volleyball meaning.