Introduction:
Normally, a volleyball game lasts 20 to 30 minutes in each set. A volleyball game can require 60 to 90 minutes or 3 hours to complete. Once I participated in a volleyball competition in my final high school year. I still feel the thrill of that nostalgic match, because it lasted for 2.5 hrs.
All the players were so competitive and wanted to score more. Eventually, our team won that match! Volleyball can surprise its spectators with its duration. But, have you ever wondered why there is this diversity in volleyball game duration? It’s because each type of volleyball game has its modifications and rules of sets that players have to follow. It also depends on players’ finesse and skills to complete the game. In this article, we will discuss ‘How Long Is a Volleyball Game?’, factors affecting its duration, etc. Let’s move ahead to know more.
Factors that Affect Volleyball Game Duration:
Apart from sets, several factors might affect the game’s duration directly or indirectly. Here is the detailed information about factors affecting Volleyball match:
1. Rallies:
Continuous back-and-forth, passing of the ball, from one team to another without touching the net is known as a rally. Rallies increase the competitiveness of the game. Longer rallies need more time to finish.
2. Timeouts:
Players can take more time to decide strategies for their next moves in timeouts. Some players need rest to recover from exertion in long rallies. These factors lengthen the game.
Sometimes players get into injuries like leg sprain, ankle twisting, elbow inflammation, etc. Medical timeouts are given in such situations and it lengthens the match. I can say it from my experience!
3. Defensive play:
If the players focus on defending the opponent team instead of scoring points, it can delay the game than expected time schedules. It takes longer to win at scoring points in the defending position.
4. Referee reviews:
If the players ask for a review more often from the referee, it adds more time to finish the game. Sometimes, referees suggest getting the video play of that match for correct judgment. Doing all these requires more time than a regular match.
5. Ball retrieval time:
In volleyball matches, the fast-paced or high-angled ball might go into the audience area or out of the court. Finding that missed ball needs more time and as a result, the match gets lengthy.
How Long Is A Volleyball Game?
A volleyball game has no specific time limit. Depending on the player’s strengths and competitiveness, it can last for 2 to 3 hours. The number of sets in a volleyball match mainly affects its duration. In each match, both teams can utilize two timeouts and six substitutions per set.
Each volleyball match has a specific number of sets Each set is played to 25 points and the winning team needs a margin of 2 points. For a tie situation, if the score is 24-24, the set is continued until either team gets a lead of 2 points to win. Covering these sets involves some timespan and varies as per the volleyball type. Rallies usually last for 5 to 8 seconds, where players compete to score one point.
1. High school volleyball Match:
Junior varsity (JV/Sophomore/freshman) and varsity (senior and older players than JV) are two subtypes of High school volleyball. JV matches last for one hour, whereas varsity matches can go up to one and a half hours.
Varsity matches are more competitive and longer than JV matches because of their sets. Varsity matches include the best of five sets and JV matches include the best of three sets.
2. College Volleyball Match:
College volleyball includes the best-of-five sets in one match. These matches have higher competition than high school matches due to more skilled players. They can last from half an hour to two hours, depending on the level of competition, player skills, and set duration.
3. Beach Volleyball Match:
A regular beach volleyball match with sunny weather lasts for 45 minutes to one hour depending on the level of competition. It has a lesser number of sets than an indoor volleyball game. So, it can get finished faster than indoor volleyball.
But, if sometimes there is a higher water level, sudden rain, etc., then the timeout is declared or the match is postponed. At normal times, players can enjoy up to 5 to 6 games within a day for beach volleyball.
4. Indoor Volleyball Match:
Indoor volleyball matches last for one to one and a half hours normally. For tough competitions and long rallies, these matches can get extended. Indoor volleyball matches are longer than beach volleyball matches.
5. Olympics Volleyball:
Olympic volleyball matches are tough and can be lengthy as top teams from all over the globe participate in this international event. The Olympic volleyball winner is decided according to the best of five sets. Players play for 25 points and the winning team needs a margin of 2 points. Hence, Olympic volleyball lasts for one to two hours.
6. Volleyball Tournaments:
Professional volleyball tournaments have two types such as ‘Progression’ and ‘Endurance.’ Progression tournaments are scheduled over weeks and months with a pre-set timetable. Participating teams come to the decided venue and compete for matches within 8 hours.
However, endurance tournaments are on weekends where teams play in one whole day for 10 to 12 hours. They can cover at least 8 to 12 games in one day.
FAQs:
- How many minutes is 1 set in volleyball?
Each volleyball set can last for 60 to 90 minutes depending on the level of competition, player skills, etc.
- What is the longest volleyball game ever held?
In December 2011, the SVU team played the game for 85 hours in the Netherlands. This game created a Guinness world record. They played 63 matches and 338 sets with a score of 14,635 points.
- What is the longest set in volleyball ever held?
The longest set in Volleyball lasted for 78 minutes during the Men’s Olympic Games in 1984.
- How many minutes break in volleyball?
The volleyball has a regular break of less than 3 minutes for any match. The break can lengthen in case of an emergency.
Conclusion:
Volleyball is a game of spirit and enthusiasm. Its duration varies according to factors like time occupied in long rallies, timeouts, injury, review from the referee, etc. I hope this guide on ‘How Long Is A Volleyball Game?’ has helped you learn about time intervals for various kinds of volleyball games. A regular volleyball game lasts from 45 to 90 minutes. Which volleyball game was so long for you? Let me know in the comment section!
