Analyzing Volleyball Serve Strategies: Comparing Jump and Float Serves in the Croatian Men’s Volleyball Superleague

Abstract

This study examines service quality disparities between jump serves and float serves within the Croatian Men’s Volleyball Super League, aiming to reveal variations based on playing positions and serve types. Analyzing 99 matches from the 2022/23 season of the top five ranked clubs, the study categorizes serves into float and jump serves. Statistical analysis unveils significant differences in service quality among playing positions, with setters and middle blockers displaying fewer serve errors compared to outside hitters (p=0.01) and opposites (p=0.00). Middle blockers also tend to position the serve reception over 3 meters away from the net more frequently than opposite players (p=0.04). Furthermore, players executing jump serves encounter a higher frequency of service errors (p=0.00) but achieve more points through serving (p=0.01), while compelling opponents to return the ball more immediately (p=0.01). Thus, the jump serve in the Croatian Men’s Volleyball Super League demonstrates superiority in scoring points through serving but also results in a significantly higher loss of points compared to the float serve.