LA Blues News Release - www.bluessoccerclub.com
Friday, April 18, 2014
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The LA Blues are excited to announce the addition of Taylor Smith to the roster for the 2014 W-League season. The speedy forward had a standout season at UCLA that ended with the NCAA championship in 2013.
“We are excited to add another talented and versatile player to this year’s team,” Blues Manager Charlie Naimo said. “Taylor had a tremendous second half of the NCAA season and was a huge part in UCLA winning the national championship. At this level you need players who can play at a high level in multiple positions, and that is exactly what we get in Taylor. I’m really looking forward to working with her.”
Smith, from Fort Worth, Texas, finished second on the team in points (20) as a freshman in 2012. She scored eight goals and added four assists. She was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, and finished eighth overall in Pac 12 scoring.
As a sophomore in 2013, Smith emerged as a key player in the Bruins’ run to the College Cup with the majority of her points coming in the second half of the season. She scored another eight goals and assisted on 10 others.
Smith has been a member of US Youth National Team camps since the U-14 level. She has most recently participated in a U-20 WNT camp.
“I'm really excited to play with the LA Blues this summer,” Smith said. “They have a reputation of being a highly competitive team and I’m very happy that I'll be playing with some of my current UCLA teammates and other high-level players as well. I think it'll be a good summer.”
The Blues will begin the 2014 campaign on the road against the Sedona FC Strikers, and will play their first home game against the Strikers the following weekend on May 23 at Occidental College. Season tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit bluessoccerclub.com.