Fishel Bolsters Seattle’s Attack for the Second Half of the 2025 Season
Seattle Reign FC has settled into the NWSL season well, currently sitting in sixth place with 21 points from the first half of the season – just four points out of second place. Though this season has largely been defined by close matches and results decided by just one goal, the Reign have begun to find their offensive footing, most recently netting four goals against the Utah Royals.
The four-goal game against Utah was just a glimpse of what’s to come as the Reign continue to build chemistry and bolster the roster with a talented corps of players. The club’s most recent signing, forward Mia Fishel, is prepared to make an instant impact in the Reign's attack.
The 24-year-old brings valuable experience from her time with Tigres and Chelsea, where she scored a collective 40 goals and wreaked havoc on some of the most skilled backlines in the game.
Tigres signed Fishel out of college in 2022 and the striker immediately solidified her place in the lineup. She was the league's top scorer in the 2022 season as Tigres won the title, and she added another 13 goals before making the move to Chelsea. She spent two seasons with Chelsea, where the club won back-to-back Women’s Super League titles, its sixth FA Women’s Cup title (2024-25) and third FA Women’s League Cup title (2024-25).
“Yeah, I think you know my job is pretty easy as nine – to score goals, be dangerous and create opportunities for the team to win. I mean, that's the whole point of the game is to score, so I think that I'm able to break down the defense in various ways, so it obviously depends on how we want to play game by game,” shared Fishel.
The dynamic forward also holds experience with the United States Women’s National Team, as she’s earned three caps and a goal. Though the NWSL presents a new set of challenges for Fishel, she is keen to take them head on and get started, utilizing the different skills in her toolbelt.
“I think that this league, it asks every team to make every game count, because it's all great teams, all competitive teams who have many great players. I think you see the players in the league and the players who want to come into the league and make a difference. It just makes it more competitive.”
She continued, "I know I have to adapt to the game that kind of is asked in the NWSL, as well as the physicality. Sometimes in the NWSL, it’s kind of more like a chess match to try and take the team down and kind of know what works best. I feel like in the league, it’s going to be more just raw football, that is also fun as well.”
Joining the team midseason, Fishel is eager to share the pitch with the Reign’s talented roster of up-and-coming players and veterans, including players like attacker Ji So-Yun. Like Fishel, Ji spent time playing for Chelsea.
“When I was at Chelsea, they brought up all Ji all the time.”
“She’s a top player who saw the game differently, saw spaces that other people wouldn’t see. Her skill set is very high and her technical ability is one of one. I’m really excited to connect with her, especially as a ten. You know that connection between nine and ten is the most special, so I’m really excited to connect with her and see how she likes to play and hopefully make a dangerous duo out of that.”
Catch the Reign’s talented roster back home at Lumen Field on Sunday, July 20 as the team takes on Urawa in an international friendly match. Single match tickets for the fixture as well as an exclusive pickleball promo are available now.
The Reign continues its summer of soccer in Seattle with its annual Pride Match on Friday, August 1 against Angel City and the new Queen’s Match, honoring the legendary 1985 national team against Chicago Stars FC on Monday, August 18