SPOKANE, Wash. - South Georgia’s playoff run ended before it ever got started as Tormenta fell to Spokane in the first round of the USL League One playoffs Sunday night.

Tormenta failed to convert their final two penalty kicks during the best-of-five shootout as Spokane ended South Georgia’s season, winning 4-3 in penalties after the teams were deadlocked 1-1 after extra time.

After Tormenta and Spokane traded conversions on their first three attempts, South Georgia’s Mason Tunbridge attempted a Panenka in which a shooter tries to fool the goalkeeper by lightly kicking the ball down the middle with the expectation that the goalkeeper will have committed to diving to his left or right at the time the ball is kicked.

Instead, Spokane’s Carlos Merancio was not fooled and was easily able to save the shot.

After David Garcia scored to make it 4-3 for the Velocity, it was up to Gabriel Cabral to extend the shootout, but his stutter-step approach and shot went over the crossbar, sending Spokane to the semifinals and giving Tormenta their first playoff loss in team history after the team won all three playoff games in 2022 en route to the title that season.

“It’s bittersweet,” Tormenta Manager Mark McKeever said following the loss. “It’s sweet in the fact that we were great tonight. But to lose in penalty kicks, it becomes a lottery.

“I’m tremendously proud of the performance and I’m amazed at how well we managed the whole game.”

Spokane advances to host Portland in one semifinal while One Knox and FC Naples meet in the other semifinal matchup next week.

McKeever said the gameplan was to come out with high intensity and take the game to Spokane rather than sitting back and absorbing the pressure from the Velocity.

“I feel like we played on our front foot and forced the issue. I thought we created the better chances in the first half. The game plan worked,” he said. 

After a scoreless regulation, it looked as though Tormenta may get the win as they were able to strike first in extra time.

In the first half of extra time, Tunbridge was able to shield the ball with his body near midfield and find a streaking Yaniv Bazini racing down the left side. Bazini pressed into the box where he drew a foul and a penalty kick.

Tunbridge stepped up to take the shot and buried it in the right side to give Tormenta a lead five minutes into the extra time.

South Georgia would keep that lead until an unfortunate bounce from a Spokane cross bounced up and hit Makel Rasheed in the elbow, resulting in a penalty kick for the Velocity. Anuar Pelaez stepped up and buried the kick to his right as Tormenta goalkeeper Austin Pack guessed incorrectly and dove the other way.

Both teams had opportunities to score in regulation, with Spokane having the better of the opportunities, including late in regulation when Shavon John-Brown was able to get open on the far post just seven yards out, but he failed to get his body over the ball and the shot soared over the goal.

Minutes later, Spokane's Jack Denton had another opportunity to break the deadlock, but Rasheed slid in and blocked the shot away.

Tormenta’s best chance in regulation came early in the second half when Tunbridge found himself inside the penalty area but was unable to get it on target to open the half.

McKeever rated the performance of his team as a “ten out of ten.”

“In this environment, flying across the country, they really gelled together. I’m as proud as you can be as a coach,” he said. 

Tormenta entered the match as one of the hottest teams in the league, finishing the year 9-1-2 since McKeever took over following the resignation of long time manager Ian Cameron.

As he’s been since taking over for Cameron, McKeever has been extremely appreciative of the opportunity to coach at South Georgia and while the season may be over, he knows there’s work to be done for the 2026 campaign.

“Four or five months ago I was unemployed, looking for a job and looking for the next adventure,” McKeever said. “I’m forever grateful for the club and for the opportunity. I’m living the dream out there with the guys. 

South Georgia Co-owner and President Darin Van Tassell said even though the season ended with a loss, it was still a storybook season.

“When Ian departs, the storybook takes off and we go 9-1-2. This was a fairy tale and a fairy tale we all got to be a part of,” he said. “A run like that is rare in sports and so rare in USL League One.”

He said there was obvious disappointment in the locker room following the match.

“There’s sadness and absolute abject disappointment that the group doesn’t get to go to work when we get home,” he said. “That takes a while to get through.”

While the season may be over, McKeever said the work to be better in 2026 begins soon.

He said they’ll be talking with the players currently on the roster and trying to keep who they can and build a roster of high character and highly talented players for the next season.

“We’re going to break the season down and be really aggressive in trying to get better,” he said.