Sports
Pali Blues Player Makes W-League Squad
Defender Sasha Andrews is the one selection from the Pacific Palisades club.
Pali Blues defender was named to the W-League's 2011 All-League soccer team Tuesday--the only Pali Blues player to make the squad this season.
Andrews returned to Pacific Palisades in the spring after leading the Blues to the 2008 W-League title in their inaugural season. A native of Edmonton, Alberta, she won the bronze medal with the Canadian women's national soccer team at the 2007 Pan American Games.
This season, Andrews and Pali Blues captain anchored a defense that allowed fewer goals (10) than any team in the Western Conference. The Blues (7-1-6) finished with 27 points-- two behind first-place Santa Clarita and one less than second-place Vancouver--and just missed a berth in the W-League playoffs.
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Andrews had another strong season on the back line, taking five shots and committing only five fouls. She played in all 14 games and was second on the team with 2,059 minutes played (one less than Shaner) and scored the Blues' first goal in their 3-3 tie at Seattle on June 26.
In addition to her W-League title with the Blues, Andrews won two league titles with the Vancouver (2004 and 2006) and was named the W-League's Defender of the Year in 2004. Andrews played two seasons at Nebraska after transferring from Southern Methodist University.
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Last week, Andrews was selected to the All-Western Conference team along with Shaner, who played collegiately at Notre Dame, then with WPS franchises Sky Blue FC and Los Angeles Sol in 2009. Shaner had two goals and eight shots in her second straight season as captain.
Click here for the Pali Blues' regular season statistics.
2011 W-LEAGUE SOCCER ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
GK – Cynthia Jacobo, Santa Clarita Blue Heat
D – Sue Weber, Long Island Rough Riders
D – Sasha Andrews, Pali Blues
D – Amanda Fancher, Ottawa Fury
D – Christine Exeter, Toronto Lady Lynx
MF – Tiffany Weimer, Vancouver Whitecaps FC
MF – Megan Tomlinson, Atlanta Silverbacks
MF – Jessica Shufelt, Ottawa Fury
F – Mallory Outerbridge, Ottawa Fury
F – Edite Fernandes, Santa Clarita Blue Heat
F – Lindsey Horan, Colorado Rush
