What constitutes a legal block in volleyball in regard to it not counting as the first hit?

Question

Today in a match the setter set the ball too low for me to spike it, so I just dinked it over. The bottom of the ball was lower than the top of the net at the point where I made contact. When the defender made contact, again, the bottom of the ball was lower than the top of the net (the top of the ball was over the top of the net though).

I felt that this wasn't technically a block and that he shouldn't have been allowed to hit it a second time, but I wasn't sure so I just let it go. Was this a legal block or should it have been our point when he hit it a second time in a row?

Edit:

I don't think I was clear about the part where, after I hit the ball, the ball travelled over the net onto the other team's side of the court. The other player did not reach over the net so there is no issue there. It's just an issue of whether or not their first contact was a block or a hit. I believe it was not a block but I can't find a specific ruling to address it.

Answer 1

You are carefully describing the position of the ball in the moment of your attack hit and in the moment of the defensive contact. However, it is not important. The decisive criterion in this case is not the point of contact with the ball, but the position of the blocker’s body. If any part of the blocker’s body (usually but not necessarily hands) is higher than the top of the net, it is considered a block.

See Rule 14.1.1 Blocking (emphasis mine):

Blocking is the action of players close to the net to intercept the ball coming from the opponent by reaching higher than the top of the net, regardless of the height of the ball contact. Only front-row players are permitted to complete a block, but at the moment of the contact with the ball, a part of the body must be higher than the top of the net.

See also a similar case (3.46) in the FIVB Casebook:

After an attack the ball touched the head of a blocker, who reached with his hands over the net. The contact with the ball was lower than the top of the net. After this hit, the team played three more times and at the third hit, the referee whistled and called “four hits”. Has this decision been correct?

Ruling The decision was not correct. Even if the contact of the blocker with the ball was lower than the top of the net, the action was a block because a part of his body was higher than the top of the net.

Rules 9.1, 14.1.1, 14.4.1

Answer 2

As your "dink" :) was your team's third hit, the opponent can then reach over the net to make a block. Reason being, once the third hit is made it's a free-ball, and the opponent is then granted ability to reach over and make contact. Of course, contact with the net is still illegal, but as far as I can tell by your description - the opponent's play was legal. Side-out if you were serving, point to them (assuming rally scoring).

The following rules apply according to the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball:

11 PLAYER AT THE NET

11.1 REACHING BEYOND THE NET

11.1.1
In blocking, a player may touch the ball beyond the net, provided that he/she does not interfere with the opponent’s play before or during the latter's attack hit.

11.1.2
After an attack hit, a player is permitted to pass his/her hand beyond the net, provided that the contact has been made within his/her own playing space.

Source: FIVB, rule 11, page 29