Bolts’ outside hitter comes back strong

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By RON POWELL / Lincoln Journal Star

Natalie Braun is one of the hardest hitting attackers Lincoln Pius X volleyball coach Jake Moore has ever had.

The 5-foot-8 senior, however, took an unusual path to becoming an elite Class B outside hitter. In grade school and middle school, Braun preferred ballet to blasting volleyballs. A year ago at this time, Braun was a libero whose devastating arm swing was still a secret to the high school volleyball community.

“I was passionate about dance until ninth grade,’’ Braun said. “I was pretty hard-core about it. At the peak I was doing five nights a week and going to places like Chicago, St. Louis and Wichita for dance competitions.’’

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Natalie Braun, Pius volleyball player. (Eric Gregory)

Volleyball and basketball eventually replaced dance as Braun’s primary activities (She was one of the leading scorers on the basketball team last winter.). The attributes she needed in dance competitions carried over to high school sports.

“You have to have balance and flexibility to be a dancer, just like in volleyball,’’ Braun said. “Dancing showed me the work ethic necessary to be successful. It takes a long time to become an accomplished dancer, and I took that perseverance and fight with me into volleyball.’’

Braun’s emergence as a standout attacker was delayed by a shoulder injury last season. During warm-ups on the second day of the season-opening Beatrice Invitational, she partially tore a ligament in her shoulder.

“In one swing it was shredded,’’ remembered Braun, who now does a series of exercises and stretches to prevent another shoulder injury.

She began back row-only duty at the LPS tournament last year and stayed there until late in the season. Midway through a Pius X loss at Northwest in the final week of the regular season, Moore moved Braun to outside hitter.

By the state tournament two weeks later, Braun became a primary option for Super-State setter Lauren Cook. Braun blasted 42 kills in three matches at state, including a team-high 15 in the Thunderbolts’ victory against Northwest in the finals.

After getting stronger in the weight room during the offseason and a successful club season with the Nebraska Volleyball Academy, the onslaught has continued for Braun this fall.

She’s recorded 90 kills, with a .363 hitting efficiency, in helping the top-ranked and two-time defending state champion Thunderbolts to an 8-0 start. Braun has been in double-figure kills the last four matches — she had 13 against Omaha Skutt in the Beatrice Invitational semifinals, 15 against Northwest in the Beatrice finals, 17 in a dual win against Omaha Mercy last week and 16 in a dual victory at Skutt on Tuesday.

“Natalie’s burying the ball from every spot on the net,’’ Moore said. “She’s not only hitting the ball hard, she’s also working on other shots besides just power because she knows people will figure out how to stop that (the power shots).’’

Braun immediately credits Cook, a UCLA recruit and one of the top high school setters in the nation, for her success at the net.

“It’s great to be up there and be blessed with Lauren Cook as your setter,’’ said Braun, who’s currently considering NCAA Division I college offers from Furman and Creighton. “She can give you a hittable ball no matter where the pass is. She makes it so easy for us.’’

Braun’s college decision won’t be easy, however. Some schools want her as an outside hitter, others as a libero. Furman is recruiting her to play outside hitter, while Creighton wants her primarily in the back row.

“I love hitting, but after last year, I really enjoy playing defense, too,’’ Braun said. “Defense is a total attitude, it’s something you have to focus on and love. Whatever side I end up on, I’m fine with it.’’

Reach Ron Powell at 473-7437 or rpowell@journalstar.com.