Velocity staying focused on playoff push despite frustrating stretch

SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Velocity know the opportunities are there. The challenge now is turning those chances into goals.

After falling 1-0 to Forward Madison on Wednesday at ONE Spokane Stadium, the Velocity enter a pivotal stretch of the USL League One season sitting sixth in the standings. Despite the disappointing result, defender Derek Waldeck believes the performance showed plenty of encouraging signs.

“We had a great start to the game,” Waldeck said. “We made some good opportunities from the beginning and it felt like a goal was on its way. If we had scored in the first 20 minutes, I think we would have had all the momentum and could have easily gotten a second or even a third goal before halftime. We were playing well and creating chances, it was just a matter of finishing them off. I think that would have made a big difference in the game, we would have been in a much stronger position. But we didn’t capitalize on those chances and it changed the momentum of the game. Still, I’m proud of how we played, we just need to work on finishing our opportunities.”

Instead, Spokane’s inability to capitalize on its early opportunities, combined with an own goal in the first half, proved costly.

“We need to be sharp and take advantage of our scoring opportunities,” Waldeck said. “That’s something we’ve been missing. As for defense, it was just one moment of distraction that made all the difference.”

The team is not getting bogged down by the loss, according to Waldeck. With six matches lined up for July, including a tough three-game road trip, there’s hardly any time to dwell on what’s already happened. They have to look ahead and focus on the challenges that are coming up soon.

“Matches are coming one after another, especially during this period,” Waldeck said. “We’re focusing on one match at a time. We have a short time to prepare before heading to Fort Wayne on Saturday, and they’re a team that’s been doing really well lately. We need to put this last game behind us as soon as possible and start getting things back on track on the road so we can change the direction of our season.”

While Spokane has struggled to consistently finish chances in recent weeks, they still sit in the top six of the league’s standings and Waldeck remains confident the group’s attacking quality will eventually shine through.

“We’re really working well together as a team, getting into the right positions,” he said. “But we’re just missing that one last thing – whether it’s making the perfect pass or taking the final shot. All we can do is keep practicing and trying our best, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We’ll keep putting in the effort and hopefully, things will start to fall into place.”

The team’s confidence is rooted in the depth of talent they have across their entire roster in Spokane.

“We’ve got a lot of talent on our team and a lot of threats too,” Waldeck said. “I think we can put anyone from our 22-man squad on the field and the quality won’t drop off. We’ve got some really skilled players who know how to control the ball, create scoring opportunities, and defend solidly. The only thing that’s missing right now is that finishing touch in front of goal. But that’s just how the season goes – it’s all about ups and downs. We’ll keep putting in the work and it’s only a matter of time before things start going our way. We’ve just got to keep at it and the wins will come. Our team’s got a lot of depth and we’re confident that we can make a push for the top. It’s not going to be easy, but we’re ready for the challenge. We’ve got the talent, we’ve got the determination, and we’ve got the drive to succeed.”

The Velocity still have a good shot at making the playoffs with 14 games left to play. They’re about to start a three-game road trip, beginning with a match against Fort Wayne on Saturday, then heading to Oakland and Richmond. This upcoming stretch of games could be just what they need to get back on track and move up in the USL League One standings.