FRISCO, TEXAS (Oct. 24, 2017) – North Texas Soccer players Samantha Meza and Diana Ordonez have been called into a concurrent U.S. Soccer Under-17 and Under-18 Women’s National Team camp at the Elite Athletic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., from Oct. 21-28.
The Under-17 side is preparing to begin qualification for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Uruguay starting in November of next year. The top three teams at the 2018 CONCACAF U-17 Championship will qualify for the World Cup.
Meza has made four appearances for the U-17 USWNT so far this season. The forward from Balch Springs, Texas made starts in a 1-1 draw against Slovenia in the 2017 Torneo Femminile Delle Nazioni, and appeared in three of four matches at the Under-16 CFA International Women’s Youth Football Tournament, where she started in a 2-0 win against Japan and a 1-1 draw to Canada. Last year, Meza helped the U-15 USWNT win the 2016 CONCACAF U-15 Girls’ Championships while scoring six goals and being named to the CONCACAF All-Star team.
Meza was a part of the Dallas Kicks FC team that has claimed three North Texas State Cups, four US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Premier League (SRPL) West titles, a pair of US Youth Soccer Region III Championships and a US Youth Soccer National League Blue title. The Kicks reached the finals of the 2015 US Youth Soccer National Championships, and Meza has twice been named to the US Youth Soccer National Championships Best XI team.
Ordonez has made two starts for the U-17 USWNT this in 2017 with her first appearance coming in a 1-1 draw against Canada. Ordonez found the back of the net twice in her second appearance, which resulted in a 6-2 win against England on Aug. 26. The forward from Prosper, Texas was named the 2017 Gatorade State Girls Soccer Player of the Year and plays her club soccer for FC Dallas. Ordonez won the 2013 North Texas State Cup with FC Dallas before finishing second in 2014 and reaching the semifinals in 2015.