Effective Playing Time in Women’s Collegiate Volleyball

Abstract

Background: Limited research addresses variations in the effective playing time (EPT) across sets or matches, particularly within the collegiate female athlete population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the EPT and rally characteristics in women’s collegiate volleyball among different sets. Methods: Data were collected from 14 matches (49 sets, 2,094 points) played among six female university teams. Rally duration, rest intervals between rallies and sets, number of touches, rallies, and three-pass sequences were recorded. EPT and work-to-rest ratios were calculated. Rally length was categorised as short (<5 s), medium (5–10 s), or long (>10 s). Results: The results showed that EPT was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the third and fourth sets compared with the first and second sets. Rally duration, number of touches, and occurrence of three-pass sequences also demonstrated upward trends in later sets. Additionally, the proportion of short rallies was significantly lower in the first three sets compared with the fifth set. Conclusion: These findings suggest that EPT tends to increase in the later sets compared to the initial sets, potentially reflecting increased match intensity as the game progresses. Recognising such patterns can help coaches and practitioners develop more targeted conditioning strategies to meet the physical demands of competition.

 Keywords: Active playing time, performance analysis, team sports, work to rest ratio, number of touches