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Nashville SC's May Madness: Inside Nashvillle's Busy Spring

May 31, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Nashville SC News Release


NASHVILLE - It's been quite a month for Nashville Soccer Club.

The Boys in Gold played eight matches in 25 days across all competitions in the month of May, including three league home matches and two home U.S. Open Cup competitions. In between those matches, Nashville's players were out and about making an impact in the local community.

Here's a look back at Nashville SC's May Madness:

Vaulting to Second Place - In six league matches in May, Nashville went 3-1-2, propelling Nashville SC to second place in the USL Eastern Conference. Its lone league loss came on May 8 at home against the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Nashville's first win of the month came on May 4 in a rain-soaked 2-0 effort at Atlanta United 2. An own goal and a Matt LaGrassa strike gave Nashville the strong road win. On May 11, Nashville SC made some history with a five-goal blitz against Swope Park Rangers in a 5-1 win. Daniel Ríos scored the first two goals of the match and assisted on the third en route to the victory. The five goals set a Nashville SC single-match record.

Finally, Nashville also earned a 1-0 win at Birmingham Legion FC on May 22. A second-half Ríos penalty stretched Nashville's unbeaten run and gave the Boys in Gold their second road win of the month.

After the Tampa Bay loss, Nashville began a run of four straight unbeaten in league play, including its most recent 0-0 draw at Indy Eleven on May 25.

National TV Appearances - Nashville SC made two appearances on national television this month. The first one was the 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay Rowdies at home on May 8. The match was the first-ever USL Championship match broadcast on ESPN2.

The second national TV match came on May 22 against Birmingham Legion FC in a 1-0 Nashville road win. It was Nashville's first-ever victory on national television.

Road Results, Road Crowds - Even at away matches, Nashville SC supporters made the Boys in Gold feel right at home. At all three Nashville road matches this month, supporters made the trip and made their presence known. A strong contingent of fans made the trip to Kennesaw, GA to watch Nashville beat ATL UTD 2 on May 4.

In addition, a strong group of fans drove up and down I-65 to catch Nashville's win over Birmingham Legion FC and Indy Eleven last week.

Ballin' in the 'Boro - This month, Nashville SC played both of its U.S. Open Cup matches at Hayes Stadium on the campus of MTSU in Murfreesboro. The matches marked the first time Nashville SC played competitive home matches outside of Davidson County.

The Second Round win over South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 drew a sellout crowd to Hayes Stadium, and another packed crowd saw Nashville narrowly fall to Charleston Battery in penalties this week in the Third Round.

Taylor Washington Gives Back - On Friday, May 17, Nashville SC defender Taylor Washington gave the keynote address for Special Olympics Tennessee's Opening Ceremonies for the 2019 State Summer Games.

Washington was invited to speak because of his connection with the athletes that he made through his work with the organization, and his role as a professional athlete in the Nashville community. One year prior, Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel gave the keynote at the same event.

The State Summer Games was a weeklong event held on Lipscomb University's campus that included 1,200 athletes, 500 coaches and 1,000 volunteers. The theme for the Games was "Choose to Include," and Washington spoke about his personal struggles, and how he overcame them to become a professional soccer player.

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