Falcons End Non-Conference Slate Co-Hosting Omni Invitational
9/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
FalconVision: Coach McShane's Weekly Interview
The Air Force volleyball team closes out its non-conference slate this weekend, co-hosting the Omni Invitational with the University of Colorado. The Falcons will host Montana State, Weber State and George Mason at the Academy on Sept. 17-18, before heading to Boulder to face Colorado on Sept. 20.
Match Notes 04: Omni Invitational 
FOLLOW ALONG FROM HOME
All Air Force matches will have live video and stats available through GoAirForceFalcons.com. Use the hashtag #AFVB on Twitter and your comments may make the broadcast.
COMPLETE SCHEDULE
Sept. 17: Air Force vs Montana State | 6:30 p.m. | USAFA
Sept. 18: Air Force vs Weber State | 11:00 a.m. | USAFA
Sept. 18: Colorado vs Montana State | 2:00 p.m. | Boulder
Sept. 18: Air Force vs George Mason | 6:30 p.m. | USAFA
Sept. 18: Colorado vs Weber State | 7:00 p.m. | Boulder
Sept. 19: Weber State vs George Mason | 1:00 p.m. | Boulder
Sept. 20: Colorado vs George Mason | 9:00 a.m. | Boulder
Sept. 20: Colorado vs Air Force | 7:00 p.m. | Boulder
GOING NATIONAL
Air Force's match at Colorado will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Network. The contest will be called by Chris Marlowe and Elizabeth Moreau.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
The Falcons' first two opponents of the weekend – Montana State and Weber State – went 0-2 at the Wolfpack Classic in Reno on Sept. 11-12. Montana State, which is 2-4 overall on the year, dropped a five-set match to Miami (Ohio) and was swept by Nevada, while Weber State lost a five-set contest to Nevada and a four-set match to Miami (Ohio) to fall to 3-5 on the year. George Mason is 5-6 overall following a 1-3 weekend at the Jack Kaiser Volleyball Classic (0-3 loss to St. Johns, 0-3 loss to San Francisco, 3-1 win over Central Connecticut, 2-3 loss to Cornell), while Colorado, which is receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll, is 4-4 on the year after going 2-1 at the Rice Invitational (3-0 win over Sam Houston State, 3-0 win over Louisiana-Lafayette, 1-3 loss to Rice).
SERIES HISTORY
Air Force is 0-1 against Montana State, 2-3 against Weber State and 0-4 against Colorado. The Falcons have never faced George Mason.
A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON
In the Falcons' last contest with Colorado – a 2-3 loss at the Academy in 2012, the Falcons set program records in total points (124) and points in a set (35).
CLEMENT NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Akokwe Clement was named the Mountain West Player of the Week on Sept. 14, becoming the second Falcon in as many years to earn the conference's weekly honor. Hitting over .200 in every match, Clement led all players in kills with 5.00 per-set average. She also registered 2.06 digs, 0.65 blocks and 5.82 points over the 17-set weekend that included victories over Navy, Harvard and California.
WHAT A WEEKEND
Air Force posted a 3-1 record during its Sept. 9-12 trip to the East Coast. The Falcons, who improved their all-time series record with Navy to 12-1, also claimed their first Division I victory over a member of the Pac-12 Conference – and the first in any division since an AIAW win over Washington in 1981 – and just the second all-time victory over an opponent from the Ivy League.
RECORD BOOK WATCH
Akokwe Clement continued to climb up the program's Division I standings after their East Coast road trip. Claiming 85 kills over four matches, she moved into second on the DI list with 1194 kills. Clement also holds top three marks in total attempts (second, 3391) and points (third, 1312.5). Rebecca Bates improved her #2 standing on the team's digs list to 1052, while Taylor Parker entered the top five in assisted blocks with 181.
MAKING HISTORY
With her seventh dig at Navy on Sept. 9, Rebecca Bates became just the second player in Air Force's Division I history to reach the 1000-dig mark. For her career, the senior has amassed a total of 1,052 digs.
CLEMENT ADDS TWO TO 20-KILL TALLY
Akokwe Clement registered the fifth and sixth 20-kill matches of her career on at the Service Academy Challenge on Sept. 11-12. Clement, who tallied 27 strikes against Army and 24 against California, has registered three 20K matches this season (21 at Denver). The senior also reached the 20-kill plateau three times last year (24 against SIU-Edwardsville, 20 at San Jose State, 20 against UNLV).
WHAT'S ON DECK
Air Force opens Mountain West action next week, hosting Nevada (Thursday, Sept. 24) and San Diego State (Saturday, Sept. 26) at the Academy's Cadet East Gym. Thursday's match is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m., while Saturday's contest will take place at 2:00 p.m.
