lentopalloa

Lentopalloa is the Finnish word for volleyball. It is a popular team sport played by two six-player teams on a court divided by a net. The objective of the game is to score points by grounding a ball on the opponent's court under organized rules. Players use their hands and arms to strike the ball, but can use any part of their body to contact the ball. A rally begins with a player serving the ball from behind the end line of their court, over the net into the opponent's court. The opposing team attempts to return the ball over the net, with each team allowed up to three touches to return the ball. The ball is put into play with a serve. A point is scored when the ball lands in the opponent's court, or when the opponent commits a fault.

The game is played in sets, and typically the first team to win three sets wins the match. A set is won by the team that first scores 25 points with a minimum two-point lead. If the score reaches 24-24, play continues until one team has a two-point lead. For example, 26-24 or 27-25. A fifth set, if necessary, is played to 15 points with a two-point lead. Lentopalloa is played by both men and women at amateur and professional levels around the world, and is an Olympic sport. Popular variations include beach volleyball, which is played by two teams of two players on a sand court.