Sam Meza: The Ant
Seattle's midfield engine is proving she can carry them to the playoffs
Do you ever watch those old videos of miners blowing up mountains with dynamite?
I don’t either.
It’s an interesting reminder of the earlier history of the United States. A time when rugged opportunism was law, the environment be damned. Back then, Seattle was a coal port; From 1870–1880, they exported more than 500,000 tons of the stuff that powered cities, homes, and engines. One of the early facilitators of this coal boom was Seattle’s first locomotive, nicknamed “The Ant.”
Despite being small, it served the important function of helping transport the coal to Seattle from the surrounding mining towns, a path that was initially more difficult to traverse without a rail line due to terrain. From the success of the Ant came more locomotives, more efficient transportation, and more coal, but Seattle’s coal frenzy died down by the 1920s, burning bright but not too long.
100 years later, a new fixation in Seattle, women’s soccer, hit a wall. Second to last in the NWSL in 2024, they had to refresh for the new season and give the fans something to cheer about. Refresh they did, adding UNC star winger Maddie Dahlien, and legendary forward Lynn Biyendolo. Now they are back where they belong, in the playoff spots and competing with the top teams in the NWSL. But there’s another Ant carrying coal up in the Pacific Northwest, making this team work, and facilitating the Reign’s return to the throne. Her name is Sam Meza.
Let’s briefly go over how she got here:
The 23 year old, 5 foot 4 midfielder from Dallas, Texas began playing soccer at 3 years old, and it appears that early start set her up for success. Four All-ACC selections from 2020–2023 while at UNC was a sure sign that Meza could ball, but she didn’t immediately set the league alight; After being selected in the NWSL Draft by the Seattle Reign 2024, she went on loan home to the Dallas Trinity of the USL Super League. There she grew, game by game, preparing to take her chance once she returned. In the 2025 season she has gotten her chance, and is taking it with confidence, making a notable impression around the league.
Now it’s time to talk about why she’s been such a midfield revelation for the Reign.
Something that is immediately noticeable about Meza is her close control. She is such a smooth operator in tight space, and her tidy, quick feet make her hard to dispossess without fouling:
She is also a fundamentally sound decision maker. She doesn’t seek out hollywood actions, but rather a lot of well executed and clean 1-2 touch ones that help the Reign keep and progress the ball:
In these three clips of Meza you’ll notice a number of these passes went to players between the opposition’s defensive and midfield lines, which is an area that most teams want to move the ball to due to the difficult positions it puts defenders in. Meza’s ability to set the table for players between the lines means the Reign’s most dangerous attackers can get the ball in the most optimal locations for them: Areas where they can drive at defenders, play dangerous passes, and get shots off.
She also has a range of passes she is able to complete, with an eye for a well weighted through ball…
And a nice reverse pass in her locker:
The next facets of Meza’s game that are so impressive are her intelligence and anticipation. Those traits make her a very valuable asset for a Seattle Reign team that is consistently adjusting to differing opponents and situations.
In possession, her intelligence is evident in the way she chooses the right moments to move in order to find and create space:
In the above clip, you can see how Meza coming back to receive the ball from, and bounce it back to, her center back Jordyn Bugg drew out KC midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta, and created a large vacant space in a good area for Ji So-yun to receive the chipped pass and advance the ball. Though Ji does eventually lose it, moments like that are examples of how Meza’s intelligence helps Seattle manipulate defenses.
When defending, her intelligence and anticipation help her position herself well to capture loose balls and intercept passes:
Meza has the 4th most loose balls recovered in the league, and 9.8 ball recoveries per 90 (fbref). As shown in the clips above, these recoveries can prevent transitions and allow the Reign to regain control of possession in advantageous areas. Her being able to recover as many loose balls as she does puts Seattle in positions to win.
Her anticipation and intelligence also allow her to react quickly to danger and put out fires:
To put a bow on the importance of Meza’s work quickly reading and reacting to the game, what action preceded Seattle’s opening (and winning) goal against the Portland Thorns?
A Sam Meza loose ball recovery.
Saving the best for last, my personal favorite aspect of her game is her tackling. She is a snappy dueler, and her ball-winning ability commands respect despite being a smaller player.
This, in addition to her ability to read the game, means she can straight up shut opposition attacks down:
She also has great energy levels, which is big factor in how she is able to consistently stay with plays, read offensive intentions, and make the necessary tackle. In the clip below, she basically ends a KC Current attack on her own by continuing to track and not giving up on the play just because the first couple of passes got by her:
The saying that “nobody is faster than the ball” is definitely put to the test by Sam Meza’s hustle.
With her intensity, intelligence, and bite, Meza is a midfield monster, and it is no wonder she is one of the league leaders in tackles+ interceptions and tackles in the middle third:
So while we all (minus Thorns fans) revel in the Seattle Reign’s comeback, watch for the Ant. She could carry Seattle far this season, and for many more to come.