SPOKANE, Wash. –  Carlos Merancio made a save and No. 3 Spokane Velocity FC scored four penalties to eliminate No. 6 South Georgia Tormenta 4-3 on penalty kicks in the Quarterfinals of the 2025 USL League One Playoffs presented by Terminix after extra time penalty kick goals from Mason Tunbridge and Anuar Pelaez kept the match tied 1-1 after 120 minutes at ONE Spokane Stadium. 

Both squads managed to register just one shot on target during the first half. Tormenta held 60% of possession in the opening 45 minutes and saw its best chance come in the 25th minute as Niall Reid-Stephen lobbed the ball across the box to the head of Yaniv Bazini, who steered it into the hands of Merancio. Spokane’s lone shot on target came as Lucky Opara rifled in a cross that was flicked onto Austin Pack’s goal by Pierre Reedy, earning the host’s second corner of the half. 

The clearest chance of the match came in the 83rd minute as Shavon John-Brown ran into a grounded pass in the box from Reedy, shooting from less than 12 yards away, the Spokane forward mishit it and soared the ball over the crossbar. Second-half substitute Tunbridge nearly stole the tie for Tormenta in the dying seconds as his left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box swerved just right of the post, sending the game to extra time scoreless. 

In the 94th minute, Bazini sped down the left wing into the box, where he was fouled by David Garcia, earning a penalty for Tormenta. Tunbridge stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom right corner for his 13th goal in all competitions this season. The drama did not end there as a handball in the box was called against Tormenta’s Makel Rasheed, awarding Spokane a penalty kick. The Velocity’s leading scorer, Pelaez, made no mistake, sending Pack the wrong way, and leveling the match with five minutes until penalty kicks. 

The penalty kick takers were perfect through three rounds until Merancio caught Tunbridge’s attempt at a paneka kick, giving the Velocity an advantage. Garcia converted his penalty, and Tormenta’s Gabriel Cabral missed the final kick to send Spokane to the Semifinals, where they will host Portland Hearts of Pine.

Takeaways 

Spokane Velocity FC: Spokane has now played in two of the five penalty shootouts in League One history, coming out on top both times. 

South Georgia Tormenta FC: Tormenta has conceded the most penalties in 2025 across the League One regular season and postseason, allowing the 13th tonight. 

Key moment 

Anuar Pelaez fired home the game-tying penalty kick in the 115th minute, eventually sending the game to a shootout. 

Key stat 

This was the second match in USL League One history where both clubs scored in extra time. The Charlotte Independence and North Carolina FC scored in the 99th and 111th minutes respectively of the 2023 USL League One Final, which North Carolina won on penalty kicks. 

USLLeagueOne.com Player of the Match 

Anuar Pelaez, Spokane Velocity FC – The Colombian led Spokane with 10 goals in league play this season and delivered tonight in the biggest moments for his club. 

Scoring Summary 

TRM – Mason Tunbridge 95’ 

SPK – Anuar Pelaez 115’ 

Penalty Shootout 

Spokane Velocity FC – Nil Vinyals, scored; Marky Hernandez, scored; Anuar Pelaez, scored; David Garcia, scored 

South Georgia Tormenta FC – Aaron Walker, scored; Gabriel Alves, scored; Niall Reid-Stephen, scored; Mason Tunbridge, missed; Gabriel Cabral, missed