At the net, Melissa Walbridge has been frustrating opponents and teammates for the past three years.

Whether it's against Ohio State or Nicole Fawcett, a Penn State outside hitter, Walbridge is somehow always able to rise up with brick and mortar and send everything back.

"Whenever we play five-one-five there's no middle hitter, so she'll play right side," Fawcett said. "So I have a solo block against her. And she always seems to block me. It's like, 'Where did you come from?' "

Walbridge, a junior middle hitter for the No. 2 Penn State women's volleyball team, currently ranks first on the team in total blocks (81) and blocks per game (1.65). And against No. 9 Purdue this past weekend she had one of her best outings this season with seven blocks.

She's led the team in blocking nine times already this season.

"That's always her strength, she's a great natural blocker," Penn State head coach Russ Rose said. "She's got big blocking surface, she wants to be a good blocker, which means she's going to work hard in situations when people might give up and not be in a good position."

So much of blocking is dependent on anticipation and a strong knowledge of the opposing players. She studies the different tendencies of her opponents, including where a player will usually try and place kills and her arm angle as she strikes the ball, when watching film before matches.

She also said she works on her technique daily during practice.

Last year, she was named AVCA second team All-American and first team All-Big Ten and led the Big Ten in blocks per game in conference matches (1.63). She currently ranks fifth all-time on Penn State's career blocks per game list (1.38).

Walbridge was integral in making last years Nittany Lions the No. 5 team in total blocks per game in a season (3.58).

And she modestly deflected the notion that her natural ability to read the game plays a part in her success.

"We work on it every day before practice and our outsides are doing a really good job communicating with me and setting a good block on the outside and our coaches do a really good job of scouting the other teams," Walbridge said.

More than preparing and her knowledge of the game, her body has also played a role in her blocking success. She's got a wide wingspan and is able to get up and wall everything off.

"She's built like [former NBA player and coach] Phil Jackson," Rose said. "She's got really wide shoulders and incredibly long arms and when she gets everything lined up she's very strong. She's a very strong kid."