News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 17, 2019
CONTACT: Bernadette O’Donnell

Tormenta Draws to Tucson 1-1 With a Stoppage Time Goal
Tormenta 2 Callup Jordan Skelton Named Man of the Match

Tormenta FC drew tonight with FC Tucson after an eventful match filled with Jordan Skelton’s professional debut, several injuries and two penalty kick goals in the second half.

“I thought overall we controlled the match pretty well,” Head Coach John Miglarese said. “But an unfortunate injury changed some of our game plan, and we lost our structure. In the second half, we put more pressure on their backline and created more chances with one going off the bar.”

In the 25th minute, Lucas Coutinho subbed off the field after suffering a head injury from a severe collision with the Tucson goalkeeper. The Tormenta boys carried their shock with them through the rest of the first half, making positive attacks but unable to finish through. 

The home team picked it up both defensively and offensively in the second half. An unusual face in the starting lineup, Mikie Rowe had several big chances tonight, starting with a shot in the 51st that went just over the crossbar. In the 62nd, Rowe took a free kick at the top of the box which skimmed past the top right corner of the goal. Midfielder Ricardo Gomez then hit the crossbar from 25 yards out in the 64th.

In the 76th minute, Tucson’s Jordan Jones kicked off the scoring with a penalty kick in the home box. In stoppage time, Man of the Match Jordan Skelton won a penalty in Tucson’s box just in time which Marco Micaletto converted into a goal, tying up the game 1-1.

Tormenta FC now turns around to play Chattanooga Red Wolves at home this Wednesday, August 21, hoping to beat the club for the first time this season.

For additional information and scheduling interviews, call (478-508-2604) or email: bodonnell@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/tormentafc.

Post-Game Match Report:

Starting Lineup: Pablo Jara, Jerry Saint Vil, Jordan Skelton, Joshua Phelps, Conner Antley, Marco Micaletto, Ricardo Gomez, Alex Morrell, Lucas Coutinho, Mikie Rowe, Shinya Kadono

Substitutions:

25′ – TRM – Charlie Dennis for Lucas Coutinho

55′ – TUC – Ramone Howell for Jamael Cox

87′ – TUC – Zach Wright for Devyn Jambga

90′ – TRM – Jad Arslan for Ricardo Gomez

Scoring Summary: TRM – 1 | TUC – 1

79′ – TUC – Jordan Jones 

93′ – TRM- Marco Micaletto 

Caution Summary:

31′ – TRM – Charlie Dennis (Foul)

38′ – TUC – Devyn Jambga

42′ – TUC – Kody Wakasa

Statesboro, GA- July and early August have not been friendly to Tormenta. Over the last seven matches, the team has only brought home FIVE points (W vs. OCB, D vs. North Texas, D vs. Lansing). Adding to Tormenta FC’s on-field struggles, midfielder Nil Vinyals will be sidelined for some time due to a knee injury sustained versus Greenville. Tormenta spent the whole season sitting in first or second place but just recently slid into third and fourth place. Every week, the playoff race gets tighter and tighter, with the top six teams in League One only separated by six points. The recent struggles of North Texas and Tormenta have opened the door for teams like Chattanooga, Greenville, and Madison to make the final stretch of the season interesting.

This week, Tormenta looks to turn things around versus FC Tucson. Tormenta has gotten the better of Tucson both times the two teams have met. Both teams come into this match on three-match winless streaks. Over the course of their streaks, neither team has scored more than one goal in a match. Every point this late in the season is crucial and that stands for both teams involved this week. Tormenta needs three points to stay in at least the top four (top 3 if they win and Chattanooga loses to North Texas). Tucson needs all three points to join the playoff race themselves. Tucson sits four points behind sixth-place Forward Madison and six points out of the top four. 

This match is set up to be one with a lot on the line and a lot of tension on both sides of the ball. Neither team will want to make the first mistake due to their offensive struggles. Both teams will have to know that IF they go down 1-0, that could be it. One point will not be acceptable by either side and it will likely show in the way they play this Saturday.

What To Watch For:

Devyn Jambga: The Tucson winger has been crucial to their attack all season. Jambga leads his team in goals (5) and shots (23). Earlier in the season, Jambga was used more commonly as a substitute for Tucson but since he found his rhythm as the focal point of their offense, he has stuck in the starting XI the rest of the way. Jambga is someone that Tormenta will have to keep their eyes on if they want all three points in this match. Whoever lines up at right back for Tormenta (more on that in a minute) will need to be tight on Jambga the whole time he is on the pitch.

Formation Struggles: Over the last few weeks, Tormenta has played the usual 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-1-1. We’ve seen players rotating positions and trying to find their fit, Shinya Kadono has played CAM or Striker, Conner Antley has gone from his typical RB to CM, and Charlie Dennis has played two matches in a row at LB. It seems with the injuries piling up Coach Miglarese is trying to patch the holes in the team by moving players into positions they either played collegiately or showed capable of playing throughout practice. One thing that is for sure is that Kadono has set himself up to be Tormenta’s first option at striker. From his instant impact versus Lansing to the energy and creativity he plays with on a weekly basis, it appears that he will be holding onto that #9 spot for Tormenta.

Jordan Skelton: The ex-Tormenta 2 captain signed his first professional contract with Tormenta last week. The 6’4, 190-pound center back was a force to be reckoned with on the USL League Two-team’s backline. In seven starts over the League Two season, Skelton helped record seven clean sheets. Even when he was out due to injury, Jordan was one of the most vocal leaders for the team. The Lander University graduate dubbed “Mr. Lander,” has left an impact wherever he goes. Now, he comes into the homestretch of the League One season with a team that desperately needs new energy injected into it.

Match Facts:

Tormenta FC (8-5-6) v. FC Tucson (6-7-6)

August 17th. 8 PM

Erk Russell Park, Statesboro, Ga.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 10, 2019
CONTACT: Bernadette O’Donnell

Tormenta FC Defeated by Chattanooga Red Wolves SC 2-1 

Tormenta FC battled Chattanooga Red Wolves tonight for the second time this season after a postponed match on June 8 and a road loss on April 20. Tormenta was the better team for most of the match with several big chances from loanee Shinya Kadono and a goal from Lucas Coutinho in the 67th, but Chattanooga capitalized on Tormenta’s few mistakes, defeating the home team 2-1.

Chattanooga’s Sito Seoane scored first, kicking off the scoring in the 57th with an assist by Tony Walls. Mikie Rowe then assisted Lucas Coutinho who evened up the score in the 67th from the left side of the box. Late in the match, Josue Soto brought Chattanooga to a winning score of 2-1 in the 85th minute. 

Tormenta FC continues its homestand this weekend on Saturday, August 17 against FC Tucson at 8 p.m.

For additional information and scheduling interviews, call (478-508-2604) or email: bodonnell@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/tormentafc.

Post-Game Match Report:

Starting Lineup: Pablo Jara, Charlie Dennis, Daltyn Knutson, Joshua Phelps, Jad Arslan, Conner Antley, Ricardo Gomez, Alex Morrell, Lucas Coutinho, Marco Micaletto, Shinya Kadono 
Substitutions:
59’ – CHT – Yaya Cisse for Juan Mare
59’ – TRM – Mikie Rowe for Charlie Dennis
74’ – CHT – Greg Hurst for Vangiel Zguro
81’ – CHT – Josue Soto for Jose Sito Seoane
Scoring Summary: TRM – 1 | CHT – 2
57’- CHT – Jose Sito Seoane (Tony Walls)
66’- TRM – Lucas Coutinho (Mikie Rowe)
85’- CHT – Josue Soto (Greg Hurst)
Caution Summary:
27’- CHT – Steven Beattie
47’- TRM – Josh Phelps
75’- TRM – Mikie Rowe
87’- CHT – Josue Soto

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 9, 2019
CONTACT: Bernadette O’Donnell

Tormenta FC Calls Up Defender Jordan Skelton to Pro Roster

Tormenta FC 2 Captain, Jordan Skleton, has signed his first professional contract with the club’s USL League One side, pending league and federation approval. At 6’4 and 190 pounds, Skelton just finished his Tormenta 2’s season, leading the team to win both Deep South Division and Southern Conference titles.

Skelton is from Newcastle, England and played for Mississippi Brilla FC for two years where he was named League Two Defender of the year and appeared on the USL League Two All-League team in 2018. The Englishman then captained for the Lander University men’s soccer team and made the All-American team in both 2017 and 2018. 

“Jordan is a player that we’ve tracked for a long time,” head coach John Miglarese said. “He will make an immediate impact to our back line and to our locker room.” 

With 480 minutes of playing time in under 7 games this past season, Skelton has not let his injuries hold him back and has shown exceptional leadership skills as a captain for Tormenta 2 as well. 

“I want to thank Tormenta FC for giving me this opportunity,” Skelton said. “I am excited to join a great group of players and work under the quality coaching staff here in Tormenta. The team have done great so far this season, and I’m looking forward to being a part of the remainder of the season.”

For additional information and scheduling interviews, call (478-508-2604) or email: bodonnell@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/tormentafc.

Statesboro, GA- Tormenta FC returns home this weekend after spending 3 of their last 4 weekends on the road. The month of July and the first week of August were rough for Tormenta fans, seeing their team only pick up 5 of a possible 18 points. The team slid into third place in the league standings and are now sitting in the mix of four teams only separated by four points. With how tight the league standings are, there is no room for error or for long spells of struggles. This weekend, Tormenta will be tested by a tough Chattanooga Red Wolves team. The teams are meeting for the second time this season and will be fighting for a crucial three points. Tormenta needs all three points to slowly start distancing themselves from “the rest of the pack.” Chattanooga needs all three to stay in the fight for fourth in the league. If Tormenta wins this match, they will find themselves back in second place in the league (tied with Lansing but ahead of them due to goal differential and matches played). A loss on the other hand (and a win by Forward Madison v. Richmond) would see Tormenta drop out of the top four for the first time this season.

What To Watch For:

Low Scoring Teams: Tormenta and Chattanooga both sit tied in sixth place when it comes to goals scored (22). The only teams sitting below the pair are Greenville (17), OCB (16), and Richmond (14). The two teams are significantly lower when it comes to goals scored compared to the rest of the “playoff teams.” Chattanooga has only scored more than two goals ONCE this season and it was against Tormenta back on April 20th. The struggles on the pitch for the Red Wolves don’t stop with their offense. Their defense has conceded 23 goals this season, 4th most in the league. If they are lucky, Tormenta could possibly use this game to start a run towards the end of the regular season.

Beattie and Micaletto: When Tormenta and Chattanooga have been clicking offensively, Steven Beattie and Marco Micaletto have been the go-to men for both their teams. Beattie currently sits in 2nd in the Golden Boot race, bagging eight goals throughout league play this season. Marco Micaletto has turned into the focal point for Tormenta lately and sits in 7th in league standings with six goals. Keep an eye on both these players, both defenses will likely be marking them tightly because if you give either of them space they will capitalize. 

Home Sweet Home: Tormenta will enjoy the idea of playing their next three matches at home. Over the course of the season, Tormenta has only dropped points at home on three occasions, one loss to Forward Madison and two draws to Lansing. Almost every team in the league is difficult to beat on their home field and Tormenta will look to capitalize on that with two matches versus Chattanooga and one against Tucson over the next three weeks. This home stretch is a great chance for Tormenta to get back on track as the season winds down. 

Match Facts:

Tormenta FC (8-4-6) v. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (7-5-7)

Saturday, August 10th.

Erk Russell Park, Statesboro, Ga. 8:00 PM

Not attending? Watch on ESPN+ or YouTube internationally.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 7, 2019
Contact: Bernadette O’Donnell

Tormenta FC Parts Ways with Forward Chris Hellmann

Tormenta FC announced today that it has parted ways with German forward Chris Hellmann. The move is effective immediately and opens up an extra international spot for the club. 

Hellmann started in five matches and played 307 total minutes for Tormenta, scoring one goal.

The Cologne, Germany native was selected 29th overall by Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft. Hellmann also played professionally with Charlotte Independence in Charlotte, North Carolina and FC Astoria Walldorf in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

For additional information and scheduling interviews, call (478-508-2604) or email: bodonnell@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/tormentafc.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 3, 2019
CONTACT: Bernadette O’Donnell

Tormenta FC Falls to Greenville Triumph 0-1 on the Road

Tormenta FC and Greenville Triumph SC battled tonight in a rainy match for an important three points. Tormenta was unable to find the back of the net after a first-half goal by Greenville and lost 0-1 on the road. 

Tormenta made some changes in its lineup in preparation for tonight’s match and several players were able to step up tonight for the first time. Midfielder Charlie Dennis started in left back in lieu of the usual Jerry Saint-Vil or Jad Arslan. Additionally, Shinya Kadono made his debut start for Tormenta in the attacking midfield position due to Marco Micaletto’s yellow card suspension. Coaching-wise, Tormenta FC assistant coach Jorge Gonzalez stepped up to lead the boys tonight as head coach John Miglarese suffered a one-match suspension during the Lansing Ignite match last Saturday.

After his call up from Tormenta 2 last week, Kobe Perez made his first professional appearance in the 17th minute due to an injury to Nil Vinyals. In the 30th minute, Greenville’s Jake Keegan kicked off the scoring for the home team, bringing the score to 1-0 with a right footed shot from the center of the box.

Tormenta FC comes back home next weekend to play Chattanooga Red Wolves on August 10 at 8 p.m.

For additional information and scheduling interviews, call (478-508-2604) or email: bodonnell@https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/tormentafc.

Post-Game Match Report:

Starting Lineup: Pablo Jara, Charlie Dennis, Daltyn Knutson, Joshua Phelps, Conner Antley, Nil VInyals, Ricardo Gomez, Alex Morrell, Shinya Kadono, Lucas Coutinho, Kaleb Jackson

Substitutions:

17’- TRM – Kobe Perez for Nil Vinyals

62’- TRM – Jad Arslan for Kaleb Jackson

64’- GVL – Edmundo Robinson for Omar Mohamed

77’- GVL – Sami Guediri for Paul Clowes

82’- TRM – Nick Wells for Shinya Kadono

94’- GVL – Choi Sang-Ryeong for Carlos Gomez

Scoring Summary: GVL – 1 | TRM – 0

30’- GVL – Jake Keegan

Caution Summary:

58’ – TRM – Charlie Dennis

78’ – GVL – Aaron Walker

Match Preview: 2nd Place Tormenta Faces Off With 7th Place Rivals

Greenville, SC – For the third time in league play and fourth time in all competitions, Tormenta and the Greenville Triumph meet again. The two teams have been proven to be strong competition for each other. Both teams are 1-1-1 over the course of the season and when they square off, there is very little to separate the two sides. Tormenta and Greenville kicked off the USL League One season and Tormenta took all 3 points via a 1-0 win. Then, the teams were paired up for their first US Open Cup match and Greenville advanced by a 1-0 win. For their second match in league play, the teams kept it close yet again and each went home with one point following a 1-1 match. Needless to say, these are two squads that have each other figured out. Coaches Miglarese and Harkes have built their teams on strong defenses and looking at these two teams, it shows.

What To Watch For:

Top Keepers In The League: Pablo Jara and Dallas Jaye currently are battling for first in the Golden Glove race, with very little separating the two, week in and week out. On top of that, Jara and Jaye sit in first and second respectively when it comes to clean sheets (Jara with 9 and Jaye with 8). The two are vocal leaders of their team and their success often translates to the success their whole team has. Neither keeper has conceded more than one goal versus the other’s team and they will both look to keep it that way. For Tormenta, the likes of Micaletto, Morrell, Coutinho, Dennis, and new loanee Kadono will have to get creative to frustrate and get past Jaye.

Speaking of Kadono: The Loudoun United loanee impressed in his short time on the pitch last week versus Lansing. Tormenta subbed in the forward in the 76th minute when the team was trailing 1-0. Kadomo came on the pitch and tied the match back up 1-1 and bagged himself Week 18 Goal of the Week. The forward will look to add to his goal tally and assist a struggling Tormenta offense. As I spoke about all season, Tormenta is a team built on the backs of a strong defense. It helps to have a player like Shinya who can come on the pitch and make an immediate impact.

New, But Familiar: Another semi-new name for Tormenta is Kobe Perez. The midfielder spent the course of the USL League Two season on Tormenta FC 2’s roster. Over the course of 17 matches played, Perez bagged three goals and three assists from his midfield position. If you watched any Tormenta 2 this season, Perez always stood out no matter who the League Two team went up against. On the ball, Kobe’s movement is breathtaking, often leaving opponents lost from his footwork. His vision for a great pass is stellar as well; Perez was someone that Tormenta fans were always looking for to start attacks. Kobe will serve well for Tormenta’s already deep midfield with names like Nil Vinyals, Ricardo Gomez, Lucas Countinho, and Marco Micaletto. His time learning from these four will no doubt help him elevate his game even more.

Match Facts:
Greenville Triumph SC (6-6-5) v. Tormenta FC (8-6-3)
Legacy Early College Field, Greenville, SC.
August 3rd, 7 PM.