LOS ANGELES – Actress Nicole DeHuff, who memorably took a volleyball in the face from Ben Stiller in the 2000 hit movie “Meet the Parents, died of complications from pneumonia. She was 31.

DeHuff had twice visited a hospital shortly before her death Feb. 16 but was sent home both times, the E! Network’s E! Online Web site reported Friday.

“Meet the Parents” was DeHuff’s first film. A bumbling Stiller, who is dating her sister, accidentally breaks her nose during a volleyball game on the eve of her wedding. The action is one of many that estrange Stiller from DeHuff’s menacing father, played by Robert De Niro.

The actress also appeared in the films “Suspect Zero” and “See Arnold Run” and had a starring role in the recently completed movie “Unbeatable Harold,” which was directed by her husband, Ari Palitz.

She had a regular role in the 2002 TV series “The Court” and appeared on such other shows as “CSI: Miami,” “Without a Trace,” “Dragnet,” “The Practice” and “Monk.”

The Oklahoma native earned a bachelor’s degree in drama from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh before moving to Los Angeles.