Sam Meza Continues to Grow in the Midfield
Back on March 30, Sam Meza earned her first NWSL start for Reign FC. Fast forward a month, and the second-year player has become an integral piece in Seattle’s midfield, appearing in all six of the club’s matches and going the full 90 minutes on three occasions.
Meza took another massive step forward in her young professional career on Saturday, earning Player of the Match in Reign FC’s 1-1 draw with Bay FC. With the team trailing 1-0 in the second half, she played an inch-perfect cross to the back post that Jordyn Huitema headed home for the equalizer.
It may seem like Meza has suddenly burst onto the scene, but it’s the product of countless hours of work behind the scenes. And she’s earned this opportunity by taking her own unique path.
Meza initially began her career with the Reign after being selected in the 2024 NWSL draft. She signed with the team in March of the same year and made her debut for the club in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup before going on loan to Dallas Trinity FC of the USL Super League.
At Dallas, Meza found her stride, scoring two goals and adding one assist. A leader on the team, she recorded the most shots, tackles and duels.
"She's a great example of why loans can be really good, you know, and sticking with it, sticking to the journey because last year was really challenging for her, going on loan. She wanted to do it in the end, but you know, I'm sure she would have preferred to be with us the whole time,” said Seattle Reign FC Head Coach Laura Harvey.
From her spot in Seattle’s midfield, Meza carries a lot of responsibility on both sides of the ball. Working largely in tandem with fellow midfielder Angharad James-Turner, she’s been key in the Reign’s transition this season.
“For Sammy, she's come in and been exceptional. I think, Haz [James-Turner], the partnership between them is very good. I think they work off each other really well. I'd be surprised if it wasn't Sammy or Maddie Dahlien that covered the most amount of ground, to be honest,” said Harvey.
A standout trait within Meza’s style of play is her relentless work rate, on and off the ball. Against Bay FC, she led the team in chances created (3) and added the game-tying assist on Jordyn Huitema’s 50th minute goal. She had the third-highest passing accuracy in the final third of any player on the field and made one cross.
On the other side of the ball, Meza tallied two interceptions and just as many clearances, working defensively until the final whistle. She won three duels and an aerial duel in the match and gained possession of the ball seven times for the Reign – the second-most of any player.
“I've texted her almost after every game, just how proud I am,” said Reign FC captain Lu Barnes. “I think what you guys don't see is behind the scenes, Sammy went on loan, which was really hard for us and her leaving. She's a great human on and off the field and it's something you want to keep in the locker room as much as you can. I'm so proud of her for going out and bettering herself and coming back and killing it in the league now. That's exactly what going on loan and having those opportunities do for players and she stepped into big shoes and she's literally killing it.”
This is just the start for Meza, who is continuing to grow with each match. Though Barnes credits the work Meza puts into training and recovery for her never-ending engine on the field, Meza attributes the success to her teammates.
“I mean, I don't really know how to explain it. I enjoy playing with my teammates. It's a great group. It's a great group of women and honestly, I just enjoy playing with these with this group, so it makes it easy and fun for me to just keep going and keep battling for them,” said Meza.