Jim Stone illustrates how the placement of your serve can challenge and manipulate the opponent's offense. Here are a few ways to challenge the hitters based on the location of your serve:
- Serve the seam between the left back (the outside hitter) and the middle back passers; The outside attacker then has to take a more direct approach to the ball, inhibiting her ability to hit cross court.
- Serve the outside hitter short and challenge her to get back quickly for an approach, or serve her deep so she struggles to get to the set on time.
- To stop a middle hitter with a great slide swing: Serve a short serve just in front of the right back player, who will likely be in the direct path of the slide approach and therefore creates a barrier for the middle hitter.
