Tormenta FC News

Tormenta FC is proud to announce Sebastián Vivas as the club’s 2024 Player of the Year, recognizing his outstanding contributions throughout a record-breaking season.

Vivas delivered an exceptional performance on the field, playing a critical role in Tormenta FC’s success. During the regular season, he led the team in goals with eight while tying for third in assists with two. He registered 29 shots, the second-highest on the team, and 21 shots on target, trying for the top spot on the team.  

His remarkable 27.6% conversion rate was the highest among players with at least six shots, and his 176.3 minutes per goal was the lowest among teammates who scored three or more goals. Vivas also posted 7.73 expected goals (xG), the second-highest total on the team, while leading the squad in expected goals on target (7.57) and chances created (25). He appeared in 21 matches, tied for third-most on the team, and logged 1,410 minutes, the fourth-highest tally.

In addition to his regular-season achievements, Vivas demonstrated his clutch ability in tournament play, leading the team with two goals in both the U.S. Lamar Hunt Open Cup and the Jager Cup.

Vivas’s impact on and off the field this season cannot be overstated. His dedication, skill, and leadership were instrumental in the team’s success. Tormeta FC is thrilled to celebrate his well-deserved recognition as Player of the Year.

Tormenta FC is truly grateful for Vivas’ exceptional performances and commitment to the team. His efforts exemplify the club’s core values of resilience, teamwork, and excellence, and his contributions have left a lasting mark on the 2024 season.

South Georgia Tormenta FC has two players, Curtis Thorn and Aaron Lombardi, who earned a spot in the Week 25 USL League One Team of the Week for their form against Greenville Triumph. 

Curtis Thorn scored the lone goal for South Georgia in the 59th minute. Thorn, a recent addition to Tormenta’s 2024 team, has become a familiar face to the starting XI for the Ibises. Thorn maintained an 80% pass accuracy during the match and won four duels during his 90 minutes on the pitch. 

Aaron Lombardi earned the assist for Thorn’s goal against Greenville. Lombardi won four tackles, took seven defensive actions, and won an impressive 11 duels.

STATESBORO, Ga. – Oct. 27, 2024 – South Georgia Tormenta FC was defeated in its final match of the 2024 campaign by Greenville Triumph with a 5-1 score at Paladin Stadium on Saturday, October 26. 

Greenville attempted to open the scoring early when Lyam MacKinnon took the first shot of the night in the fourth minute of play. Even as Tormenta entered the match without jeopardy, the team was intent on pressing forward and finding goal scoring opportunities.Ultimately, MacKinnon, a frontrunner in the 2024 Golden Boot race, found the back of the net against Tormenta in the 12th minute of play.

Following the first goal, the match became more transitional, with both teams sending long passes to put pressure on each other’s backlines. Greenville dominated possession, keeping the ball in Tormenta’s half for much of the first half.

Greenville’s second goal came when MacKinnon drew a penalty in Tormenta’s box. Going one-on-one with Tormenta keeper Ford Parker, he converted the attempt. Tormenta’s Niall Watson attempted to respond with a shot of his own, but Greenville’s keeper collected the ball.

Tormenta remained undeterred by the 2-0 deficit. Head coach Ian Cameron made several changes shortly after halftime, including substituting in 18-year-old Dodge Brooks, a former Tormenta FC Academy player. Gabriel Rodriguez, Mason Tunbridge, Tavio D’Almeida, and keeper Drew Romig also entered the match.

Greenville Triumph opened the second half scoring when Pascal Corvino converted a shot from outside the box. Just four minutes later, Greenville found its fourth goal.

Demonstrating resilience, Tormenta responded in the 55th minute when Curtis Thorn sent a shot from inside the box past the keeper, securing Tormenta’s only goal of the evening. Tunbridge later nailed a shot of his own, but referees ruled him offside.

In the 78th and 79th minutes, Tormenta took its last shots of the night. Aaron Lombardi blasted a left-footed shot at the keeper, and upon deflection, Brooks attempted to find his first goal of the season, but Greenville’s defense blocked the attempt.

Greenville Triumph found a last late goal in the 88th minute, solidifying the strong lead and the win.

Immediately following the USL League One match, Tormenta FC’s Unified Series team played a friendly match against Greenville Triumph’s Unified Series team. The match had two 15-minute halves. The Unified Series program is aimed at promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competitive experiences to connect people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team.

Founded in 2015, Tormenta FC is a professional soccer club based in Statesboro, Georgia. Tormenta FC competes in the professional USL League One and the pre-professional USL W League, under the United Soccer League (USL), and has also established a thriving academy system throughout South Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Follow the club through Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and the Tormenta FC app available on both iOS and Android.

For media inquiries, please contact Caroline Boykin at cboykin@tormentafc.com and 912-667-9422.

Tormenta’s Aaron Walker made the USL League One Team of the Week bench for week 24. He earned this honor for his form in the Ibises’ last matchup against Union Omaha. 

Walker scored the opening goal of the match in the mere second minute of play. The solo goal was shot from outside of the box and was delivered to the top right corner above Omaha’s keeper’s reach. 

The midfielder won each of his tackles, made three key blocks, and three clearances. Walker won four duels and took seven defensive acts. 

Fans can watch Walker and the rest of South Georgia Tormenta FC play their final regular season match against Greenville Triumph on the road at 7:00 p.m. on October 26. The match will be streamed via ESPN+.

STATESBORO, Ga. – Oct. 19, 2024 – South Georgia Tormenta FC fell short to Union Omaha at Tormenta Stadium with a 2-3 score in the final home match of the season on Saturday, October 19. 

In the mere second moment of the match, Aaron Walker, a Tormenta FC midfielder, sent a banger of a shot barreling to the top right of the goal. Omaha’s keeper Rashid Nuhu made a valiant attempt but was no match for Walker’s shot, giving Tormenta the early lead. 

With Tormenta playing for a playoff spot and Omaha playing for the coveted USL League One Player’s Shield, the match was rife with aggressive duels. Before the 25th minute, four yellow cards were already shown to players including Jackson Khoury, Jake Dengler, Daniel Steedman, for Tormenta and Missael Rodríguez for Union Omaha. 

In the 36th minute of play, Luca Mastrantonio scored an own goal, doubling Tormenta’s lead. 

The excitement of the first half was far from complete. In the 40th minute of play, Daniel Steedman was shown a second yellow card for a foul, resulting in his ejection from the match. This red card left Tormenta forced to play a man down. 

Omaha was quick to prey on Tormenta being down a player in the second half. Tormenta scored an own goal to open the scoring for Union Omaha in the 63rd minute. Moments later, Union Omaha’s Zeiko Lewis scored the equalizing goal. 

Even as the odds were stacked against Tormenta, the Ibises showed resiliency and continued to find opportunities to break down Omaha’s backline. The Ibises felt the pressure and attempted to continue to make aggressive maneuvers to attempt to push the ball into Omaha’s half to spur scoring opportunities. 

In the 87th minute of play, Sebastián Vivas received his second yellow card of the night, meaning he was also ejected from the match. Vivas was substituted onto the pitch in the 74th minute of play. 

During added time, Union Omaha found its final goal of the match, securing a victory, as it was the final goal scored of the evening. Just after this goal, Jake Dengler was shown his second yellow card of the match, equaling a red card and ejecting him from the match. 

Tormenta FC will play its final regular season match on October 26 in Greenville, South Carolina. Fans can tune in to the match via ESPN+. 

Founded in 2015, Tormenta FC is a professional soccer club based in Statesboro, Georgia. Tormenta FC competes in the professional USL League One and the pre-professional USL W League, under the United Soccer League (USL), and has also established a thriving academy system throughout South Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

For media inquiries, please contact Caroline Boykin at cboykin@tormentafc.com and 912-667-9422.

STATESBORO, Ga. – October 15, 2024 – South Georgia Tormenta FC’s Jake Dengler was named to the USL League One Team of the Week Starting XI. Aaron Lombardi and Daniel Steedman were named to the USL League One Team of the Week bench. These honors come on the heels of an impressive performance against the Richmond Kickers, which resulted in a 2-2 draw at Tormenta Stadium. 

Captain Jake Dengler opened the scoring for the night in the 28th minute, blasting a header into the top of the net following a corner kick taken by Ajmeer Spengler. The 25-year-old defender also had 15 defensive actions, made 11 clearances and won seven duels.

Aaron Lombardi was the second and final goal scorer of the evening for South Georgia. His goal against Richmond marked the first of the season. The Argentenian defender also made 10 clearances and won six duels. 

Daniel Steedman tallied one assist from a corner kick, setting up Lombardi for his goal. Steedman held an impressive 94% pass rate and an 80% accurate long ball rate.

Fans can purchase tickets to the final home match here. The match has several exciting initiatives off the pitch including Bolt’s Birthday Bash, Fan Appreciation night and the Tormenta Small Business Collective celebration. 

Founded in 2015, Tormenta FC is a professional soccer club based in Statesboro, Georgia. Tormenta FC competes in the professional USL League One and the pre-professional USL W League, under the United Soccer League (USL), and has also established a thriving academy system throughout South Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

For media inquiries, please contact Caroline Boykin at cboykin@tormentafc.com and 912-667-9422.

South Georgia Tormenta FC goes head-to-head against Union Omaha for Tormenta’s final regular season home match of the season Saturday, October 19. 

Recipe Review

South Georgia enters the pitch following a 2-2 draw with the Richmond Kickers, holding the lead for the majority of the match. Union Omaha enters the match following a 2-1 victory over Lexington Sporting Club and will look to capitalize on that momentum. 

Key Ingredients

Defender Jake Dengler is among the leading scorers off of headers in the USL League One and tallied a goal against the Richmond Kickers. Dengler recently played his 100th professional match and is a formidable opponent to strikers across the league. 

Aaron Lombardi scored his first goal with Tormenta against the Richmond Kickers on Friday, October 11 and will seek to carry that momentum through to this upcoming match. Lombardi also made 10 clearances and won six duels against Richmond. 

Foe’s Formula

Luca Mastrantonio of Union Omaha was one of two goalscorers in their last match. Mastrantonio maintained an 80% accurate pass rating, won six duels, and had three accurate long balls. Head Coach Ian Cameron will look to minimize opportunities for this center back. 

Fans can purchase tickets to the final home match here. The match has several exciting initiatives off the pitch including Bolt’s Birthday Bash, Fan Appreciation night and the Tormenta Small Business Collective celebration.

STATESBORO, Ga. – October 11, 2024 – South Georgia Tormenta FC fought to a draw with the Richmond Kickers, finishing the match with a 2-2 draw on Friday, October 11 at Tormenta Stadium.

Tormenta FC earned back-to-back goals off of headers early in the match. 

The match began with an air of caution as the two teams each still vie for a coveted playoff position. The first shot of the night was not taken until the 10th minute when Tormenta’s Jackson Khoury took a right footed shot from the center of the box. 

The score remained stagnant until the 28th minute when Ajmeer Spengler sent a corner kick sailing into the box, which connected with captain Jake Dengler’s head, who skillfully put the ball in the back of the net. 

Just minutes later, Daniel Steedman launched a corner kick toward the Ibises. The ball connected with Aaron Lombardi’s head this time, and he netted his first goal of the season.

Two more goals were scored by Tormenta FC in the last moments of the first half and early moments of the second, but both scorers were ruled to be offside.  

With Tormenta FC up at the half, the team continued to press Richmond with a stark intensity. By the 60th minute two yellow cards were issued to Tormenta’s players and one was issued to the bench. 

In the 67th minute, Richmond found its first goal of the night by Emiliano Terzaghi. 

In response to this goal, Head Coach Ian Cameron made several adjustments on the pitch. Joshua Ramos, Curtis Thorn, Tavio D’Almeida, and Sebastián Vivas entered the match to assist the Ibises in extending the score gap. 

Ultimately, in second-half stoppage time, Richmond found the equalizing goal of the match. 

Fans can watch South Georgia Tormenta FC in the Ibises’ final home match of the season next Saturday, October 19 against Union Omaha. Tickets to the match can be purchased here.

Founded in 2015, Tormenta FC is a professional soccer club based in Statesboro, Georgia. Tormenta FC competes in the professional USL League One and the pre-professional USL W League, under the United Soccer League (USL), and has also established a thriving academy system throughout South Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Follow the club through Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and the Tormenta FC app available on both iOS and Android.

For media inquiries, please contact Caroline Boykin at cboykin@tormentafc.com and 912-667-9422.

STATESBORO, Ga. – October 7, 2024 – South Georgia Tormenta FC will attempt to kick out the Richmond Kickers in its upcoming match on Friday, October 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Tormenta Stadium. The theme of the match is Kick Cancer night, presented by Optim Health System. 

Recipe Review

Tormenta FC will look to recover from a recent loss against Northern Colorado Hailstorm on the road in Windsor, Colorado. Richmond is coming off of a win against Lexington SC and will attempt to keep this momentum going in the USL League One playoff hunt.

Key Ingredients 

Tormenta FC’s Jake Dengler has made several clutch clearances to preserve the score sheet in  previous matches. Captain Jake Dengler also just completed his 100th professional match and will look to skillfully shut out the Kickers. Dengler also leads the league in header goals for the 2024 campaign.

Foe’s Formula 

João Gomiero netted one goal and tallied one assist against Lexington for the Kickers. Head Coach Ian Cameron will look to his defenders to minimize scoring opportunities from this Brazilian midfielder.

Windsor, Co. – October 6, 2024 – South Georgia Tormenta FC faced defeat against Northern Colorado Hailstorm with a 4-0 score on the road in Windsor, Colorado on Saturday. 

The match opened with an air of ferocity. The first foul was drawn by Tormenta in the first minute of play, which was responded to with a foul drawn by Northern Colorado in the third minute. 

The Ibises attempted to apply early pressure, but keeper Ford Parker was forced to make a save in the 11th minute of play. 

South Georgia’s Tavio D’Almeida took the first shot of the evening for Tormenta. The shot went just right over the net. Mere moments following this opening shot, Jackson Khoury and Sebastián Vivas each took shots of their own. 

Ultimately, Northern Colorado Hailstorm’s Marky Hernandez opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a shot from outside the box. 

After a scoreless stint, Hailstorm found its second goal of the night in the 67th minute. 

South Georgia brought on several new faces to the pitch during the second half. Austin Wehner, Joshua Ramos, Niall Watson and Mason Tunbridge entered the match. 

Even with a trailing score, Tormenta remained intent on pushing up the wings to challenge Hailstorm’s back line. The Ibises tried to minimize time spent on stoppages to maximize scoring opportunities. 

Ultimately, Northern Colorado Hailstorm found its final two goals as the match neared its end. 
South Georgia Tormenta FC hits the pitch again October 11 at 7:30 p.m. against the Richmond Kickers at home. The match is themed Kick Cancer night and is presented by Optim Health System. Fans can purchase tickets to the match here.