Pacific Palisades, Calif. (Wednesday, May 21, 2008) – The USL announced today the W-League Team of the Week, and Blues midfielder Jill Oakes got the nod for her performance this past weekend in a 4-0 victory over the Los Angeles Legends. This marks the second consecutive week that a Pali Blues player has received the league honor as midfielder Collette McCallum was awarded the same accolades for her two-goal effort in a game one win over the Ventura County Fusion.
"I am happy to see Jill get recognized,” Blues head coach Charlie Naimo remarked. “She has been our most consistent performer since our inception. In this particular game, moving her into the midfield changed the entire flow and helped us dominate possession which created our chances."
Oakes played all 90 minutes in the win over Los Angeles. She tallied an assist in the contest by setting up a Mele French score in the 38th minute. Her play was also highlighted by game-changing possession out of the back.
Oakes earned her first cap with the full U.S. National Team at the 2005 Algarve Cup in Portugal. She was a member of the U.S. Youth National Teams starting in 2001, and she was a top contributor to multiple championship teams. She played with the 2001 U-21 Nordic Cup championship team in Norway, 2002 U-19 FIFA Women’s World Championship, 2004 U-21 Nordic Cup championship in Iceland and the 2005 U-21 Nordic Cup championship in Sweden. The former All-Pac-10 first teamer and NSCAA All-American at UCLA was named the Gatorade National High School and the Parade Magazine Player of the Year in 2001 following her senior season at Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles.
After a bye this weekend, the Blues return to the Stadium by the Sea on Saturday, May 31, to host the Ventura County Fusion. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. Tickets for that game and all home match-ups of the Pali Blues are only $10 for adults ($8 with student ID) and $5 for kids under the age of 12. Season tickets are still available and can be purchased online at www.bluessoccerclub.com.
Stay tuned to the team website at www.bluessoccerclub.com for all updates regarding the Blues.
