Velocity Headlines League One Honors Following Undefeated Week

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Spokane Velocity FC

Velocity Headlines League One Honors Following Undefeated Week

September 12, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Spokane Velocity FC News Release


After their first-ever six point week - net from two straight home victories, Spokane Velocity FC's presence was littered across USL League One's Week 19 "Team of the Week."

The announcement on Tuesday was headlined by Luis Gil receiving Player of the Week recognition and head coach Leigh Veidman earning Coach of the Week honors. The three other Velocity players selected to the weekly starting lineup include Marcelo Lage, Camron Miller and Andre Lewis.

"I'm really proud of this team," Veidman said. "Coming off a long 10-day road trip into a two game week and coming out with six points is no easy task, but the outcome shows the work the team is putting in behind the scenes, so they deserve everything they got."

Luis Gil's Player of the Week award is the second time a Velocity player has been given the honor (Andre Lewis week 16), and none in the club are more deserving than the captain. Gil has been the oil can that's kept the Velocity push into the playoffs so smooth, orchestrating the midfield and bringing Veidman's vision of the pitch to life.

"Every player in our team has been pivotal this week, but Luis has executed in both games, shown incredible leadership, has a killer mentality in front of the goal and sets the standard of what is needed on both sides of the ball, so I'm really happy for him," Veidman said.

Gil leads Velocity in both goals and assists, with five goals and five assists in regular season play. This ties him for second in the league for assists and top 10 for goals. His 15 goal contributions across all competitions has provided a steady hand for a foundation that Velocity has begun to build off of.

"On the individual side of the game, I have been finding success, but credit is due to the rest of my teammates," Gil said.

Garnering his second Coach of the Week award (also received in week 2), Veidman has led his club to a strong inaugural season, and now that the team has gotten adjusted to the League One schedule, they've flourished, dropping just one match in their last eight. His tactical approach to each contest has morphed over the course of the season, and has evolved into a real winning formula.

This adaptability includes a midseason change at goalkeeper, going from Carlos Merancio to Brooks Thompson. In their most recent match, a save from Thompson in the final minute of added time was what finalized the club's week, and was one of three big saves on the day.

While Thompson wasn't put on the list of players who made the Team of the Week, two members of Velocity's backline were featured in Lage and Miller.

Lage has been a reliable member of the backline for awhile, and lead the league with seven blocks in the week, adding 11 clearances and an 81 percent passing accuracy. His defensive play was complemented by Miller, who scored a header in their nationally televised match against Union Omaha. The score came a week after netting his first professional goal, which came in a Jägermeister Cup match. Miller hasn't let his offensive surge come at the expense of his defensive play however, and was a key component of keeping Central Valley Fuego FC on the losing end of their match despite consistent pressure in the box.

The final member of Velocity's Week 19 honors is a former Player of the Week, Andre Lewis. The Jamaican midfielder has been a massive component to the offensive tactical approach for Veidman and his club, firing shots from distance and creating chances. His role was featured primarily in the matchup against Fuego, where Lewis contributed to two Velocity scores.

Finally, Derek Waldeck was named to the bench of Week 19's top 11 after delivering an assist to Miller off a far set piece lob. His number of chances created are top 10 in League One with 23.

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