Velocity edge South Georgia in quarterfinal shootout, advance to semifinals

Since the start of the team’s second season, it’s been clear that the Spokane Velocity were poised for a consecutive playoff bid– after finishing as runner-ups in its first year– as they won 14 games, and allowed a league-best 1.16 goals per match during the regular season, earning home-field advantage for the quarterfinal round of the 2025-26 League One postseason. 

On Sunday, Spokane faced its toughest test, as it battled to a 4-3 shootout win and advanced to the semifinals for the second time in its two-year existence, knocking out the league’s highest-powered offense, South Georgia Tormenta– a team that scored a league-high 1.8 goals per match. 

The Velocity’s staunch defense was put on its back in the first period, needing 17 clearances to hold South Georgia to four shots, and one on target. Tormenta dominated possession and had 12 touches in Spokane’s box. 

The Velocity’s offense stifled, registering just four touches in Tormenta’s penalty box and a 40% possession rate with just four shot attempts. 

It was much the same in the second period, as neither side could break through, forcing the game into extra time, when South Georgia Tormenta took the lead in the 93rd minute off a penalty kick. 

Velocity defender David Garcia fouled Yaniv Bazini in the penalty box, and Mason Tunbridge fired the PK past Carlos Merancio to help South Georgia pull ahead. 

Anuar Pelaez, the team’s regular-season leader in goals scored (10), shined once again, and leveled the game on a PK to send the playoff match to a shootout with five minutes left in extra time. 

Spokane and South Georgia’s scoring prowess was finally put on display during the shootout. Tormenta’s Aaron Walker, Gabriel Alves and Niall Reid-Stephen made their first three shots. 

Nil Vinyals, Marky Hernandez, and Anuar Pelaez converted theirs for Spokane. 

Tied at 3-3, Tunbridge fired a weak shot straight into Merancio’s arms and the Velocity needed just one more conversion and stop to seal the win. 

Garcia took seven steps back, took one breath, and rifled the ball to the center of the net as Tormenta goalkeeper Austin Pack dove to the right. 

South Georgia had one more chance, but midfielder Gabriel Cabral’s shot sailed wide to the right of the goalpost. 

Garcia led Spokane’s defense with 13 of its 44 clearances. Camron Miller added nine clearances, one block, and one interception. 

Spokane will host seven-seeded Portland Hearts of Pine in a semifinal match at 6 p.m. on Sunday at ONE Spokane Stadium. The game will broadcast on ESPN+.