How many hits is a team allowed before the ball must travel back over the net in volleyball?

In a volleyball game, while a rally is going on the team that has possession of the ball has a maximum of three hits to get the ball over the net. The most common form of this is a bump then a set then a spike. The bump is when you close your arms and pass the ball to your setter and at that time the setter sets the ball with his fingers to somebody who is ready to spike the ball to hit the ground on the other side. The spike is also known as a kill. These three ways of hitting the ball do not have to be used in that order, that is just the most common way.