Seam

The seam (or seam ball) refers to a serve or attack directed to the area between two defensive players, exploiting the uncertainty of which player is responsible for the ball. "Seam" is a tactical term, not defined in FIVB rules. It most commonly describes a serve aimed at the overlap between two passers in serve-receive, or an attack hit into the gap between two blockers. Communication between players to claim seam balls is a key skill in team play.

Ruleset: FIVB  |  Rule Reference: FIVB Rule 12 (service) / Rule 13 (attack)