Akokwe Clement Named MW Player of the Week
9/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Following a stellar weekend of action, Air Force senior Akokwe Clement was named the Mountain West Athlete of the Week, the conference office announced this morning (Sept. 14). It is the first such award for the Long Beach, Calif., native.
The senior led Air Force to a 3-1 weekend that included a road win at Navy and neutral-site victories over Harvard and California. The Falcons improved to 12-1 all-time against the Midshipmen following a 3-1 victory on Sept. 9 in Annapolis. After dropping a heartbreaking 3-2 match to Army on Sept. 11 at the Pentagon, the Falcons rebounded to sweep Harvard in the nightcap and come back from a 0-2 deficit to take a thrilling five-set win over Cal at Fort Myer Henderson Hall on Sept. 12.
Clement led all players in kills during each of the four matches, while posting two 20-kill matches and a pair of double-doubles. She tallied 19 kills, eight digs and five blocks at Navy, while adding 27 kills (career high), 10 digs, two service aces and a block against Army. Clement collected 15 kills, five digs and three blocks in the match with Harvard, before closing out the weekend with 24 kills, 12 digs, three aces and two blocks against Cal.
Hitting over .200 in every match – including three that surpassed .250, Clement averaged 5.00 kills, 2.06 digs, 0.65 blocks and 5.82 points during the 17-set week.
Clement, who became the second Air Force player in as many years to earn a weekly honor from the conference office, helped the Falcons to their first Division I victory over a member of the Pac-12 Conference – and the first in any division since an AIAW win in 1981 – as well as just the second all-time victory over an Ivy League opponent.
Air Force returns to action on Thursday, Sept. 17, when they close out the non-conference schedule co-hosting the Omni Invitational. The Falcons will face Montana State (Sept. 17), Weber State and George Mason (Sept. 18) at the Academy's Cadet East Gym, before traveling to Colorado on Sept. 20.
