One Knox SC couldn't generate any quality chances Oct. 11, losing 2-0 to Spokane Velocity FC in the final regular season home game at Covenant Health Park.
Now on the outside looking in, One Knox (14-8-9, 51 points) will have an uphill battle to hosting playoff soccer. Knoxville fell to fifth place in the USL League One standings with one match remaining and is one point behind AC Boise and Forward Madison.
One Knox finished 7-4-5 at home in the regular season.
"Really disappointed overall," head coach Ian Fuller said. "I thought we were very, very good the first half. But, unfortunately, the old phrase, ‘Goals change games' rang true tonight."
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Coming off one of its best offensive showings of the season against Chattanooga,
One Knox failed to generate a single shot on target in the match . Spokane (15-8-5, 50) capitalized on its opportunities with two goals on four shots.
Spokane took the first lead with an 18th minute goal. Shavon John-Brown received the feed inside the box and snuck it past Johan Garibay to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. One Knox failed to respond in a rain-soaked first half.
Neco Brett doubled the lead for Spokane in the 62nd minute with a close-range strike.
"With all the aggression and the quality that we had for 70% of the pitch, we just missed out on that final little burst and final bit of quality," Fuller said. "I always say it, in both boxes, you got to be great, not good."
One Knox man of the match, top moments: Sunday, Oct. 11
Man of the match: Knoxville fans earn the honors for showing up despite the rain to support One Knox in the final match of the regular season at Covenant Health Park.
- Visitors get the scoring started: Spokane's goal in the 18th minute not only opened scoring, but it was the first goal scored against One Knox at Covenant Health Park since Aug. 22. Knoxville pitched three consecutive shutouts at home before Sunday.
- Cornerstone of the Old City: The Scruffs supporter section presented One Knox midfielder Teddy Baker with a brick trophy, voting him as the One Knoxville SC 2026 Player of the Year. Baker has scored six goals in 33 appearances this season and won the Scruffs' fan vote.
More matches at Covenant Health Park up in the air for 2026
With One Knox wrapping up the regular-season home slate, the club will have to wait and see if more matches at Covenant Health Park are in store for the postseason.
If Knoxville finishes top four in the USL League One Standings, it will host playoff soccer as it did last season. One Knox concludes the regular season Oct. 17 at New York before the USL1 playoffs begin Oct. 31.
"We're going to be road warriors now," Fuller said. "Luckily, we've been pretty good on the road, but our mindset's got to change a little bit."
Trevor McGee covers the Knoxville Smokies and One Knox SC for Knox News. Email: trevor.mcgee@knoxnews.com; X: @TrevorMcGee12
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: One Knox shut out by Spokane in final home game of the regular season
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