Spokane Velocity lose to Greenville 3-2, still clinch playoff spot

From staff reports

The Spokane Velocity absorbed their fourth consecutive loss on Saturday, but the news wasn’t all bad.

Far from it, in fact.

Spokane became the fourth team in USL League One history to qualify for the playoffs in its inaugural season despite a 3-2 loss to the Greenville Triumph at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Forward Madison secured a 2-1 win over Chattanooga earlier Saturday, knocking the Red Wolves out of postseason contention and cementing seventh-place Spokane’s entry in the eight-team playoffs.

Greenville’s Lyam MacKinnon scored goals 6 minutes apart in the first half, the second at the 23-minute mark for a 2-0 lead. Leonardo Castro’s header in the 67th minute gave the Triumph a 3-0 lead.

Spokane’s Josh Dolling scored on a penalty kick in the 73rd minute, ending a stretch of 390 consecutive minutes in which the Velocity hadn’t found the back of the net.

Anuar Pelaez scored in extra time to pull Spokane within a goal, but the Velocity couldn’t complete the comeback.