Brown's accomplishment comes a bit late

When Mary Beth Brown moved into third place on the Terrapin volleyball program's all-time blocks list last weekend, she was not surprised.

The 6-foot-4 outside hitter started the year in sixth place, 36 blocks away, and led the team with 144 last year. Barring injury, the third-place mark of 419 blocks seemed a foregone conclusion well before she reached it with three blocks in last Saturday's loss to Wake Forest.

"It was exciting to reach that milestone," Brown said. "I've been very fortunate over the past four years to block next to some great middle blockers to help me reach that goal."

What was surprising was that it took her more than two-thirds of the season to do so.

As the co-captain and lone preseason All-ACC pick on the Terps (5-18, 1-10 ACC), Brown was expected to play regularly this season, as she did last year, when she played in all 31 matches.

But under new head coach Tim Horsmon, the outside hitter struggled to establish herself early this season. She was pulled from the starting lineup before the third match of the season. Since then, she has played varying amounts of time, mainly as a substitute, and her production has been down - probably not how she envisioned her senior season.

"Mary Beth started off slow," Horsmon said. "I think she's starting to understand what we're asking her to do. A couple weeks ago, she decided to join us and cooperate with us. She made a choice to come out and finally join us and do what we've been asking her to do."

Brown declined to comment on her significantly diminished time on the court this season.

"I just want to help the team the best that I can in our last stretch of the season," Brown said. "I want to go out on a good note and take advantage of the opportunities I get."

With a team-leading nine kills two weeks ago against Clemson, she got a chance to start in the last two matches and finally reached third place against Wake Forest.

"I'm really happy for her," Horsmon said. "I think she is as good a blocker as I've coached, and she was doing that a long time before we got here."

Brown played with the first- and second-place players in the Terps' all-time blocks record book, Rachel Wagener (649) and Stephanie Smith (602) in 2005, her freshman and their senior season. The two middle blockers led the Terps to three straight ACC titles in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

"I really learned a lot from Rachel Wagener and Steph Smith my freshman year. I don't think I would have gotten to where I am without their help and guidance," Brown said.

The Terps are now one of only five Division-I volleyball programs to have the top-three blockers in school history all play together at some point. But the accomplishment comes in the shadow of a disappointing season so far.

She has played in 17 of the team's 23 matches and started just eight, compared to last year when she played in all 31. Though she has regained a starting job, her spot in the rotation is tenuous, as Horsmon changes the lineup weekly. One poor performance could see her back on the bench.

"She was given the opportunity (to play) because we've been playing poorly at other positions," Horsmon said. "Now it's really up to her to continue that."

It is not only Brown's time on the court that is down. Last year, she led the Terps in blocks with 144 total with 1.25 per set. This year she is in third, averaging only .77 a set and is on pace for fewer than 50, only around one-third of her 2007 total.

On offense, she has 69 kills a little more than a two-thirds of the way through the season, putting her on pace for fewer than 100. Last year, she had 248 total. Her hitting percentage is down from .224 to .193.

But despite the decline in production and playing time, Brown has still earned the respect and admiration of her teammates.

"M.B. is definitely a leader, definitely vocally and with her experience and also the way she's been playing these last few matches," right side Brittney Grove said. "We definitely need that right now."

As the end of her college career approaches, the Vienna, Va., native and daughter of two alumni looked back on what drew her to College Park. Though she did not initially see herself as a Terp, she said that at the school's volleyball camp, she "fell in love with the team and the program and wanted to be a part of it. I was lucky enough to get that opportunity."

Now she wants the opportunity to end her final season with the Terps with a bang.

"I want to go out on a strong note," Brown said. "I want to put myself in the best position to help us win, whatever that takes."

kyanchulisdbk@gmail.com