TUKWILA, Wash. — Sally Menti is no stranger to Seattle.
The 23-year-old started with the Reign as a non-roster invite in training camp, and most recently banged in the opening goal in a win on the road against San Diego.
"I'm still speechless. It's still one of the coolest moments in my soccer career," Menti said. "Getting in a good spot on the top of the box and having six players around me saying shoot it, and having that confidence from them, it was just incredible."
Incredible, or perhaps inevitable. Menti, the Seattle native, scored her first NWSL goal in her first-ever professional soccer start — and did it in front of a large group of family and friends on the road at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.
"Going to games and having my family and extended family in the crowd, being super accessible to them, and also just to play in my hometown city, I think is everyone's dream," she said.
It's a memory she won't soon forget, much like her favorite memory growing up nearby. The Roosevelt High School grad boasted about her senior season when she played alongside her sister Anna.
"It was really cool, it's always cool representing a school, a city, but probably sharing that stage with my sister was incredible," she said.
Now, Anna is a junior on the University of Washington women's soccer team. Earlier this spring, the two faced off when the Reign played a friendly at Montlake. Another opportunity to share the big stage.
"I mean, family is so big for me," Menti said.
Menti signed a short-term contract through the end of June. The Reign plans to loan her out to another club afterward, but Laura Harvey said they're willing to have their minds changed.
"My exact words to her were, 'Change the plan, change the plan, that's up to you,' and I don't think she did herself any damage in doing that," Harvey said.
Menti understands the reality of the professional sports business, but knows she put her best performance out there for the team to evaluate.
"[Hearing those words from Harvey] was all the motivation I needed to hear in the beginning when I got signed to that short-term contract," Menti said. "It was going to come to the end of June and I was going to leave everything out that I had to offer and I wouldn't have any regrets."