August 4, 2024 – United Soccer League One (USL1)
Spokane Velocity FC News Release
After surrendering a pair of goals in the first 20 minutes, Spokane Velocity FC rallied from behind to secure a 3-3 draw against South Georgia Tormenta FC Sunday morning.
The match-tying goal was scored in the 87th minute by Velocity midfielder Andre Lewis, who buried a shot from the center of the 18-yard box after receiving a pass from forward Josh Dolling.
With the draw, Tormenta (4-7-4) and Velocity (4-4-3) remain in eighth and ninth place on the table, respectively. The match was initially scheduled for Saturday night, but thunderstorms in Statesboro, Georgia, postponed the match until the following morning.
“Taking into consideration all the obstacles we had to face leading up to the game, we showed heart to come out with a result,” said Velocity midfielder Luis Gil.
South Georgia appeared unfazed by the match’s early start time, taking a swift 2-0 lead after scoring goals in the 13th and 19th minutes.
Tormenta midfielder Aaron Walker got his team on the board by blasting a shot from outside the 18-yard box. Shortly after Walker’s goal, forward Pedro Fonseca scored with a header off a well-placed cross from Sebastián Vivas.
After several failed scoring attempts, Velocity had a breakthrough just before the end of the first half. Lewis corralled a deflection and delivered a short cross to Gil, who only needed one touch from close range to score his club’s first goal.
When play resumed in the second half, it didn’t take Spokane long to score its first equalizer of the match, with Dolling drilling a shot that was set up by a through ball from Gil in the 56th minute.
Four minutes later, Tormenta pulled back in front after midfielder Daniel Steedman’s corner kick sailed to the far post, where defender Jake Dengler scored off a header.
The match saw a scoreless stretch of nearly 30 minutes before Lewis delivered Velocity’s second and final equalizer. Spokane was able to keep South Georgia scoreless through seven minutes of stoppage time to secure a draw.
Velocity’s three goals marked the club’s highest-scoring outing in USL League One regular season action.
“We need to keep working hard to correct the problems we have right now, but the fight to get back into the game all the way to the end is something we can really build on,”Dolling said. “All points away from home are valuable.”
Dolling was named Velocity’s “GOAT of the Match” after tallying one goal, one assist, two chances created…