Velocity

Spokane Velocity FC continues to add depth to its back line with the signing of Nigerian defender Lucky Opara, pending league and federation approval.

Opara, who played the past two seasons with Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, is a veteran of European fútbol, having played professionally with Spartaks Jümala in Latvia, Switzerland’s FC Lugano, the Finnish club AC Oulu, and Narva Trans in Estonia.

The 25-year-old is from Owerri, Nigeria, and has been playing professionally since 2019. For Hailstorm, he scored five goals in 51 appearances.

As a former USL League One foe, Velocity coaches had ample opportunity to watch Opara in action, and they liked what they saw – especially in last season’s Jägermeister Cup, which the Hailstorm won.

“Lucky is an excellent addition to the back line,” said Velocity head coach Leigh Veidman. “He has shown over the past couple of years in the USL his ability to be a very good defender but also a force in attack, which is exactly what we look for in our full backs. He brings an incredible winning mentality, which we saw recently from his Jägermeister Cup victory in 2024. That’s an important attribute that’s going to push us forward as a club.”

Opara, who was in the starting lineup when Hailstorm played their first and only match in Spokane last season, said he came away from that experience – a 1-0 Velocity victory – with respect for the opposing side, and its home city.

“USL Spokane is so amazing,” Opara said. “I love the club and the city of Spokane as well. I’m excited to put an end to our team’s unfinished business from the previous season and to achieve success in my athletic goals.”

Spokane Velocity FC returns for season two of USL League One action with a match at ONE Spokane Stadium on March 16. For tickets, schedules and other information, visit www.uslspokane.com.

Mark “Marky” Hernandez will bring his offensive power to Spokane Velocity FC this season, pending league and federation approval.

Hernández played the past three seasons with Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, scoring 9 goals in the 2023 season – good for the second spot on the team leader board – and 6 in 2024.

The midfielder from Anaheim, California, came up through the Chivas USA program and played his college soccer at Golden West College, clocking 17 appearances and 9 goals from 2015-17, and at Cal State Fullerton, scoring 4 goals in 40 appearances from 2017-19. His senior year, he was named to the Big West All-Conference Second Team.

Hernández, 28, signed with Reno 1868 FC of USL Championship in 2019, then moved to USL League One ahead of the 2020 season to play for the Chattanooga Red Wolves. In two seasons he scored eight goals and was the No. 2 Red Wolves scorer in back-to-back seasons.

He comes to Spokane not only with a proven ability to put the ball in the net, but with playoff experience with both Red Wolves and the Hailstorm.

He knows first-hand what Velocity can do in the playoffs, being on the losing side of last year’s thrilling Spokane victory in the first round. The opportunity to return to the playoffs is one of the appeals of joining Velocity.

“I love the feeling of a hard-earned match win, but I’m most excited for the fans, playing for a playoff team, and to lift the playoff trophy with this season’s team,” Hernández said. 

Velocity coach Leigh Veidman called Hernandez a “very important addition” to the team’s offense.

“Regardless of his role on the team, Marky has a team-first mentality, which is important to the success of any team at any level. He does this while still producing, which can be a huge difference maker for any team,” Veidman said. “We are excited to have Marky’s experience and versatility added to our roster.”

Spokane Velocity FC kicks off its second season of USL League One action with a home match at ONE Spokane Stadium on March 16 against One Knoxville SC. Season ticket packages and individual games are on sale now at uslspokane.com.

Spokane Velocity FC will have a long wait to get a rematch against Union Omaha, the club that ended Velocity’s fairy tale run to the USL League One Final in 2024. 

It will be nearly five months, in fact, from the start of league play on March 16 – a home match against One Knoxville – until Aug. 2, when Velocity hosts the Owls. In between, there will be matches against five expansion teams in League One and an expanded USL Jägermeister Cup series that for the first time will include teams from both League One and USL Championship.

“First and foremost, we’re excited to build and grow from an incredible season last year,” said Phil Harrison, Vice President of Spokane Velocity FC. “With our playoff run last season, we saw tremendous support from the community. It was exhilarating and inspiring, and we can’t wait to build on that energy in year two.”

League One continues in expansion mode, adding five clubs in 2025: FC Naples of Florida, Maine’s Portland Hearts of Pine SC, AV Alta FC from Los Angeles County, Westchester SC from New York, and Texoma FC, based in Sherman, Texas.

Velocity will get an early look at the new league additions, hosting Naples at ONE Spokane Stadium in the second match of the season on March 22. After an away game the following weekend against Greenville Triumph SC, Heart of Pine and Texoma will trek to Spokane for matches on April 5 and April 13. 

“The continued growth really reflects the success of the league,” Harrison said. “It’s really exciting and we’re looking forward to having new competition. It’s also going to be really beneficial not just to the club but to the community as a whole as we begin to expand Spokane’s exposure to these new markets.”

After an away trip to Southern California to face AV Alta on April 19, Velocity will begin Jägermeister Cup play, with matches April 27 against Oakland Roots of USL Championship and July 26 against Championship’s Sacramento Republic.

Spokane Velocity finds itself playing in Group 1, facing Oakland Roots, Sacramento FC, and Monterey Bay FC. The team will also have an opportunity for a rematch against the Las Vegas Lights, who defeated Spokane in the U.S. Open Cup during the 2024 tournament. 

The opportunity to compete against Championship teams is “really cool,” Harrison said. 

“Having a higher level of competition, from a division standpoint, is really fantastic,” Harrison said.  “We see this as a tremendous opportunity to show off the level of our play alongside really quality teams. The Jägermeister Cup promises to be something special next season.”

Including Jägermeister Cup matches, Velocity will host 17 home games in its second season. The season is balanced between home and away, with the longest away stretch being three matches, including back-to-back matches against Hearts of Pine in Maine, Aug. 17 and 23, and a return to Tennessee for an Aug. 31 match against One Knoxville. 

Velocity will wrap up its home season against Texoma on Oct. 11, and conclude regular season play with back-to-back road matches on Oct. 18 at Naples before getting a final crack at Union Omaha on Oct. 25.

For the full Spokane Velocity FC 2025 Schedule please visit our schedule page.

Single Match Ticket information will be available early in 2025. Fans can currently purchase Velocity FC Season Tickets at uslspokane.com/velocity-fc-season-tickets. 

By Cam McCann, Gonzaga University ’25

With Spokane’s first season in USL League One having come to a close, fans can turn their attention to how the 2025 club roster is shaping up. 

With 13 players returning (pending league and federation approval) from a roster that made a historic playoff run League One won’t soon forget, there is plenty to be excited about next season. Nine of these players were a part of the starting 11 from the final match against Union Omaha. 

This continuity should allow for the team to grow an identity, something head coach Leigh Veidman has said the team needs to develop to become a championship-caliber club. 

“Do we have an identity?” Veidman asked rhetorically in a press conference just days before the finale against Omaha. “Yes we do, [but] we still need to develop it… that’s what is going to help us win these types of games.”

Captain Luis Gil, one of the biggest keys to this identity, returns after leading the club in total goal involvements. Gil was the straw that stirred the drink for Spokane, operating as a midfielder that pushed the tempo and capitalized on the opponents’ defensive mishaps. One of these key moments happened in a match against Omaha in ONE Spokane Stadium on Sept. 4, when Gil intercepted a poor backpass in Velocity’s attacking third, dribbling his way to the goal before gliding past the keeper to score. 

Gil had multiple huge moments this past season, but this match in particular gave hope to another midfield playmaker that returns to Spokane in 2025.

“That’s the game where I started to think like, ‘Yeah we can put something together here,’” said midfielder Andre Lewis.

Lewis put back four goals for Velocity in regular season play, earning Week 16 Player of the Week honors after three goal contributions in a single week. Lewis’ playmaking in the midfield was explosive, and his thunderous shots from outside the box provided ONE Spokane Stadium with plenty of memorable moments. 

Jack Denton, Pierre Reedy and Collin Fernandez are the remaining midfielders who will be back in a Velocity uniform next season. 

Fans likely still remember Denton’s first professional goal, as it came in Velocity’s 3-0 shelling over No. 2 seed Northern Colorado Hail Storm FC in the League One playoff’s opening round. The goal came off a cross to the deep middle of the box, where Denton needed just one touch to put the ball away from the keeper’s reach. His goal was the final of the game, and truly put away any hope for a Hailstorm comeback. 

Fernandez has never said he’s a flashy player; in fact, he’s claimed to be the opposite. 

“My job is to make the other people’s job on the field as easy as possible,” Fernandez said. 

As a defensive-minded center midfielder, Fernandez doesn’t always get the gaudy numbers that fill up a stat sheet. Instead, he does the little things that help a team achieve great things. In the second round of the League One Playoffs, Fernandez had maybe the most important stat of the night. 

Stepping into a score-and-advance situation, Fernandez was a penalty shot away from sending an expansion team to the league final in its very first season. Sure enough, the 27-year-old got the ball in the back of the net, and became the man of the hour for those cheering on Spokane. 

Pierre Reedy spent most of the season out with a hip injury, but started the season off well, playing full time in 10 of his outings and picking up a pair of assists and a goal. When healthy, Reedy adds a solid ability as an outside midfielder who can help push the pace.

While the midfield returns integral members of the club from early on, the returning forwards were both midseason additions who ended up playing key roles down the stretch. 

Masango Akale came on as a trialist in an international friendly match against Chivas De Guadalajara’s U23 club, where he impressed enough to quickly earn a spot on the roster. He made a name for himself early, scoring in back-to-back home matches soon after being signed. 

The 22-year-old brings plenty of youthful optimism to the growth of the attacking third. His current partner up top looks to be the 31-year-old Colombian, Anuar Peláez, a much later addition to the club. 

Peláez was signed in August, and was able to knock back a couple of goals for the team, including a second score against NoCo in the playoff match that extended Velocity’s lead. His athleticism and defensive pressure applied to the opponents backline gave Veidman plenty to work off of. 

Velocity’s defense was the magic element in its playoff run, shutting out both Forward Madison and Northern Colorado in regular or extra time, as the only time the ball landed in Velocity’s goal was in the penalty shootout against Madison. 

The defense will look to keep plenty of key members over to next season, with Derek Waldeck, Ish Jome, Javier Martín Gil, Camron Miller and Marcelo Lage making their return. 

With the exception of Jome, who replaced Akale as a sub in the 74th minute, the quartet of Waldeck, Martín Gil, Miller and Lage comprised the entire backline at the start of the final match, and made one huge defensive play after another. 

Miller also caused havoc off of Velocity set pieces, scoring multiple headers off set pieces in less than a month’s time, making him the highest scoring member of the backline, and a dangerous weapon at Veidman’s disposal.

Waldeck came into the backline at the start of the year as a veteran who had already won a pair of championships at Stanford University. His poise as both a key member of the backline as well as one of Velocity’s main set piece kickers has been a crucial element to the club’s success. His 39 chances created in regular season play was tied for sixth in League One and second on Velocity behind Luis Gil, who registered 40.

Lage and Martín Gil also both played critical roles in preventing opponents from finding easy scoring routes against the backline. Lage won a spot on the Week 19 Team of the Week, and was fourth in the league in total passes and third in clearances by the end of the season. Martín Gil was the defender with the second-most chances created on Velocity, with 20. 

The final player to return to Velocity is goalkeeper Carlos Merancio. Despite being replaced by Brooks Thompson – whose loan has expired and will head back to Hartford Athletic – Merancio still ended with three recorded clean sheets, collecting more than any Central Valley Fuego FC keeper, and just as many as Chattanooga Red Wolves SC keeper TJ Bush. 

Secure 2025 Season Tickets Today!

By Cam McCann, Gonzaga University ‘25

Spokane Velocity FC’s historic inaugural season finale ended in a place nobody expected them to be – the USL League One Final.

Today, Union Omaha was crowned their second title since joining in 2020, winning in 3-0 fashion over Velocity in the Final played at Werner Park in Omaha, Nebraska. 

“Hats off to them,” said Velocity captain and former Owl Luis Gil. “They played the way they wanted to, they stuck to the game plan [and] they made it really difficult to play through the middle.”

The year for Spokane ended with multiple historic firsts in League One, including the two biggest postseason upsets by seeding as well as the first inaugural club to play in the championship match within the current playoff format. 

Omaha hadn’t lost since Sept. 11 coming into the match, and was awarded the top seed going into the postseason. The club’s record against Velocity, however, was locked at 2-2 going into the final match, with the home team ending on the right side of the score each time.

The match’s result is a testament to both the ability for Velocity to play tough but also the Owls’ to limit mistakes and capitalize on any waiver in Spokane’s defense. 

“[Omaha’s] been building their identity for awhile, they’ve had the same coach for multiple years and you see that all the players really understand the system really well,” said Velocity midfielder Jack Denton.

The first two goals were scored off corner kicks. The first came in the third minute off an impressive header from Max Schneider that Velocity keeper Brooks Thompson was able to get a hand on, but ultimately bounced off the inside of the crossbar and fell in. The second came in the 19th minute after a touch by Marcelo Lage in the box found its way to Pedro Dolabella in a hoard of players, who sent it to the bottom left of the goal and out of Thompson’s reach.

“When you go 2-0 down within 19 minutes off two set pieces in Omaha, the uphill climb gets a lot bigger,” said head coach Leigh Veidman. “Thankfully, we were still in the game at halftime.”

The rest of the first half was scoreless, but not without Velocity making multiple efforts that gave spurts of life to the watch party crowd that took over Flatstick Pub in Downtown Spokane. 

The first 30 minutes did not go in Velocity’s favor, as they were steadily losing both the total passes and passing percentage battles, which were two areas they were the best at during the season. However, over the next six minutes, Velocity’s total passes went from 100 to 141, and resulted in good possession down in their attacking third. 

Javier Martín Gil created a chance for a score thanks to winning a one-on-one matchup off a lob pass that wound up just outside the right side of the Omaha box. Martín Gil sent a cross over to Anuar Peláez, who had pressed his way to the middle of the box, but multiple Owls prevented Peláez from making contact. 

The first half ended with Omaha registering three shots on target with Velocity slowly taking over the possession and settling back into the game as the half drew to an end.

Despite the positive latter part of the first half, the second half saw Velocity register just one shot, despite holding on to possession for 62% of the time. 

Thompson’s second half in the goal saw him snag four saves, but a splendid strike of the left foot of Lagos Kunga marked the match’s final score. 

Velocity finding their way into the League One Final was not to be expected according to coach Veidman, and gives the young franchise plenty to build on in the coming years of pro soccer in Spokane.

“The group of people that have come together all the way from ownership down to the players, me, staff, front office [and] everyone in between has brought something really special to Spokane,” Veidman said. “This is not a reflection of who we are in the result of the game, but what we’ve done to get here, and it’s been an incredible journey. We really hope we made our fans proud at home, and we set some incredibly solid foundations to build a really successful future for this club and this community.”

With the USL League One Playoffs in the rear view mirror, Velocity is poised to regroup during the offseason and return in March 2025 for a sophomore season that is sure to draw attention across the U.S. professional soccer landscape and once again energize the City of Spokane.  

By Henry Krueger, Gonzaga University ’25

Spokane Velocity FC’s remarkable journey continues as they charge into the USL League One Final in their first season.

The title opportunity arrived sooner than anyone anticipated. According to head coach Leigh Veidman, it took a “magic recipe” for Velocity to reach this point. 

“The candid answer is, nobody expected this in year one,” Veidman said. “But when you’ve got a group of hardworking people behind the scenes trying to build something like this, a great locker room of amazing people, excellent football players who work hard and apply themselves every day and then you’ve got the City of Spokane who showed up for us all year — if there’s a magic recipe, that is it.”

As Velocity prepares to face top-seeded Union Omaha in Nebraska on Sunday, their path to the Final has been a testament to overcoming the odds.

The No. 7 seed club opened the playoffs with a stunning 3-0 upset victory over No. 2 seed Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC in the quarterfinals. 

One week later, Velocity faced a much different challenge against No. 3 seed Forward Madison FC in the semifinals. After a scoreless 120 minutes of play, Spokane converted all of its penalty kicks to knock off the Flamingos.

“When you get into the playoffs, it’s a very different season,” Veidman said. “So yeah, it’s been phenomenal.”

One of Velocity’s stars during their playoff run has been goalkeeper Brooks Thompson, who has secured three consecutive clean sheets, dating back to the team’s last regular season game, a scoreless draw against the league’s top defensive team One Knoxville SC. 

“It’s really special,” Thompson said. “I’ve never been a part of an expansion team, so it’s really interesting to see how well the club has handled it. Seeing all the support from the city means a lot to me and I’m sure it means a lot to everybody on the team.”

Omaha, which advanced directly to the Final in 2020 as an expansion club, has grown into a perennial powerhouse chasing their second championship. In 2020, due to the pandemic, the top two regular season clubs advanced to a Final that ultimately was not played, making top seed Greenville Triumph SC champions. In 2021, the Owls found revenge defeating Greenville for their first championship. In this year’s playoffs, the club defeated the No. 8 seed Richmond Kickers 1-0 in the quarterfinals and No. 4 seed Greenville Triumph SC 2-1 in the semifinals. 

This season, Omaha won the Players’ Shield with the best league record, and set single-season league records for goals per game (2.14) and goal differential (+23).

Across all competitions, Spokane and Omaha have split the season series in the four meetings between the clubs. In the most recent matchup, Omaha notched a 4-0 win at home on Oct. 2. 

One of the biggest storylines heading into the championship game centers around  Velocity captain and All-USL League One first-team honoree Luis Gil, who will face the club he represented in 2022 and 2023.

“Playing against my former team in the Final, I’m not really thinking about it too much,” Gil said. “We’ve had some good games against them and some bad ones, so we know it’s going to be a battle. Obviously, more is at stake now, but I feel confident with my team. I’m not focusing too much on [Omaha].”

Instead of dwelling on his former team, the 30-year-old is laser-focused on one goal: bringing home a title. He’s also reminded his teammates to have fun while competing. 

“I feel like we’ve put in the right amount of work to get to the final, and we just need to keep that momentum going,” Gil said. “I’m here to help lead the guys, and I feel like we’re in a good spot. I just think we need to focus on ourselves and enjoy it. That’s a big thing I like to tell them — enjoy our football, because I know that’s when we get results.”

Gil’s message has resonated with his teammates, including center defensive midfielder Collin Fernandez.

“We’re enjoying every minute of it together, and I think that speaks a lot to the group,” Fernandez said. “I mean, that’s not always easy to do in those moments.”

With momentum on their side and a city behind them, Velocity’s quest for the USL League One Championship title will come full circle on Sunday at noon PDT. It will be broadcast on CBS Sports Golazo, locally on KSKN TV, and Sirius XM channel 392 on radio and 982 on the app. Fans in Spokane can also join the 509 Syndicate-hosted game watch at Flatstick Pub with doors opening at 10 a.m.

Downtown pub will host fans Sunday as Velocity FC plays in  the USL League One Final

Rachel Walker, Gonzaga University ‘27

On Nov. 2, USL Spokane together with the 509 Syndicate and Flatstick Pub hosted hundreds of Spokane Velocity FC fans hoping to watch their beloved team make history. Facing off against the No. 2 seed Colorado Hailstorm, No. 7 Spokane hoped to achieve what no other expansion team had ever done (in the current playoff format): advance to the semifinals of the USL League One playoffs.

The match remained scoreless until, in the 53rd  minute, Team Captain and All-USL League One First Team Luis Gil scored Velocity’s first goal of the night. After two more unanswered goals in the span of 15 minutes, fans were elated, and as time ran out, they erupted in cheers as Velocity pulled off the biggest upset in League One history.

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” said  Jonathan Ehrnberg, the President of the 509 Syndicate. “It just absolutely electrifies the entire community.”

Velocity made history as the first expansion team in the current playoff format to go to the semifinals in USL League One, the only expansion team to win a playoff match, the lowest seed to ever reach the semifinals, and the lowest seed to ever win a playoff match. 

 A week later, fans filled tables once again in eager anticipation of Velocity’s next playoff challenge against third-seed Forward Madison. Throughout the game, the energy in Flatstick was electric. After a nail-biting 90 minutes, the scoreless game went into overtime, ultimately leading to penalty kicks. 

Once in the spot-kicks, a save from Brooks Thompson on Madison’s third shot saw Velocity step toward the USL League One Final. 

Fans erupted in excitement, repeatedly chanting Thompson’s name, knowing the chance for a championship in the club’s inaugural season could be imminent. Both Velocity and Madison made their fourth shots, leaving it up to midfielder Collin Fernandez to seal the deal. 

As he approached the ball, the crowd at Flatstick went silent. Ultimately scoring the winning goal, elated fans celebrated by jumping out of their seats, hugging those around them and waving the Velocity flag.  The energy was palpable as the team made history once again by becoming the first expansion team to reach the USL League One Final in the current playoff format. 

“This team means so much,” said Jessica Prewitt, a 509 Syndicate member. “This is incredible and it’s just more than I can dream of. We love our boys and we’re not going anywhere.”

Spokane fans will have another chance to gather together as Velocity takes one more giant step: the USL League One Final against No. 1 Union Omaha at noon Sunday. The 509 Syndicate and Flatstick Pub will host a watch party with doors opening at 10 a.m. Arrive early to find your spot to witness history as Velocity faces their final test of this inaugural season.  

Kaya Crawford, Gonzaga University ‘26

In what has been a season of firsts for professional soccer in Spokane, No. 7 seeded Spokane Velocity FC added a few more firsts to their resume in their USL League One playoff semifinal against No. 3 seeded Forward Madison FC. Most importantly, Velocity became the first expansion team in the current playoff format to make the final after defeating the ‘Mingos 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

“We’re ecstatic to be heading to the final in our first year as a club,” defender Derek Waldeck said. “I think just about everyone had counted us out based on our form coming into playoffs, but there’s always been a belief within the team that we can compete with anyone in this league. We’ve been incredibly resilient the last few weeks and tonight it took all 11 guys working behind the ball to defend a great team like Madison and to keep them scoreless for 120 minutes.”

Velocity became the only expansion team in USL League One history to win a playoff match when they defeated No. 2 seeded Northern Colorado Hailstorm 3-0 in a quarterfinal match on Nov. 2. The match was also the biggest upset in League One playoff history. With this upset, Velocity became the lowest seed to reach a semifinal and the lowest seed to ever win a semifinal match.

With tonight’s victory, Velocity became the lowest seed to make the League One finals. 

The first half at Breese Stevens Field saw action from both sides, though no goals found the back of the net. Spokane’s first attempt came in the 13th minute when Andre Lewis took a shot from outside the penalty box that went wide. 

Madison’s backline was bolstered by Mitch Osmond who thwarted two of Spokane’s attacks early in the match. Masango Akale had a breakaway moment in the 38th minute that was challenged by Osmond who sent the ball out of bounds. 

The ‘Mingos controlled 62% of possession in the first half and had seven shots to Spokane’s two.

Spokane came out hungry in the second half, registering seven shots. Velocity had an opportunity to score in the 62nd minute when a corner kick from Derek Waldeck found Marcelo Lage in the box though the shot was knocked away by Bernd Schipmann. 

Luis Gil was subbed off in the 60th minute for Josh Dolling. Dolling helped rejuvenate Spokane’s attack when he took a shot that went just over the crossbar following a chaotic possession inside the penalty box. Velocity’s Ismaila Jome had crossed the ball to Anuar Peláez whose shot was deflected to Dolling who was waiting to take a shot.

Much like the first half, the ‘Mingos controlled possession but were unable to find the back of the net. Despite a combined 20 shots between the two sides, regulation ended 0-0, sending the match to extra time. 

In the first minute of extra time, Peláez wove the ball through three defenders down the right side, attempting a shot that went wide from just inside the penalty box.

Madison’s Christian Chaney took a shot from the near post in the 99th minute that Brooks Thompson was able to deflect to Cameron Miller who cleared it up field. Thompson had two saves on the night to keep Spokane in the match. 

Spokane had a final chance to score when, in the 120th minute, Azriel González took Velocity’s only on-target shot of the night, sending the ball toward the bottom right corner of the goal that was swept up by Schipmann as extra time came to an end, signaling that a penalty shootout would be necessary to settle the match. 

A high stakes penalty shootout was not new for Thompson who won the USL League One Final with North Carolina FC in a penalty shootout last season. His crucial save on the third shot allowed Spokane to outlast the ‘Mingos. 

“The guys hung in there in a really tight game,” Thompson said. “We stayed disciplined and kept focus for 120 minutes. So happy the boys came through on PKs. Made one save and the guys did the rest. Go Spo!”

Devin Boyce took the first shot for the ‘Mingos, sending the ball to the bottom right corner. Dolling responded by shooting the ball into the bottom right corner to keep it even. McGlaughlin and Peláez both converted their penalties to make it 2-2. 

Thompson made a spectacular dive to the bottom right corner to save the shot from Cherif Dieye. Then González shot bounced in off the top bar to give Spokane the advantage. 

Jimmie Villalobos scored the next penalty for the ‘Mingos with a shot in the bottom right corner and Lewis kept Velocity ahead with a shot to the right top corner. 

Chaney converted his penalty leaving it to Collin Fernandez to decide which side would advance to the final. Fernandez sent his shot to the top left corner to seal the deal and send Spokane to the final in their first season. 

Back in Spokane, a standing room only crowd in Flatstick Pub went wild for Spokane’s long awaited professional club that is on the cusp of bringing a championship trophy home to Spokane.

“Brooks came up big and we took care of the rest,” Fernandez said. “I’m so proud of this team, our staff, the ownership and most importantly our fans and families back home. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.”

Head coach Leigh Veidman expressed gratitude for Spokane fans and pride in the team following the historic match. 

“Incredible night for the club, city and community,” Veidman said. “It wasn’t our best night on the ball and we defended a little more than we would like but that’s also credit to an excellent Madison team who are very well coached. The players fought incredibly hard and held their nerve in the moment where it mattered most, which was penalties.”

Spokane will face No. 1 Union Omaha in the USL League One finals on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 12 p.m. PST. Omaha defeated No. 4 seeded Greenville Triumph SC 2-1 Saturday afternoon.