Still a thrill with rally scoring

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

When the NCAA first announced it was considering rally scoring for women's volleyball, you could have heard the howls from here to Massachusetts, birthplace of the sport.

An abomination — and worse — is what some called it. Blasphemy, the purists insisted.

At the Women's Division I National Championships in Richmond, Va., where the University of Hawai'i appeared in the final four in December, rally scoring was the THE topic of conversation. An Internet survey last fall found 85 percent of the respondents opposed to dropping the traditional sideout scoring system.

But as the NCAA goes about installing rally scoring for the season that begins for the Wahine next month against defending national champion Nebraska in the State Farm Classic, the opposition is fading to a dull roar.

Maybe it is the resignation to what was becoming an inevitability. More than likely, it is the grudging realization that this just might work out for the best after all.

For that is the message that came out of its inaugural season in NCAA men's volleyball, where rally scoring not only didn't detract from the game, it made significant additions to it.

Matches that would have easily gone three hours — or more — with the traditional sideout system came under 2 hours, 30 minutes and were more television-friendly, as teams instead were required to play to 30 points per game (15 in the fifth game) and win by at least two points.

Witness the Warriors' five-game victory over No. 3 Pepperdine in March, an all-nighter for sure in earlier seasons, required just 2 hours, 27 minutes.

Matches where the action would have dragged at times under the sideout format became more focused because, under rally scoring, each play was worth a point. Serving took on more importance and danger.

Even the much-speculated upon drawback of rally scoring killing comebacks and, therefore drama, hardly turned out to be the factor it was supposed to be. Witness how the Warriors rallied and even won the final four points to pull out their first victory over UCLA at Pauley Pavilion in 18 years.

"I thought we had a couple of amazing comebacks this year so the thrill was still there with rally scoring," said Warrior coach Mike Wilton. "I thought it (rally scoring) turned out to be pretty good."

Even Wahine coach Dave Shoji, a self-described "traditionalist" who has had his doubts, acknowledges, "it could be good for the fans."

One by one the various levels — international, club, men's collegiate — have embraced rally scoring. Now, NCAA women's volleyball, one of the final holdouts, should come to find there is life after sideout scoring, too.