WASHINGTON, D.C. – Penn State Altoona men's soccer posted a big victory in its return to intercollegiate action on Friday night, recording a 5-1 win over non-conference opponent Gallaudet University at Hotchkiss Field in the Lions' first regular season game since 2019.

Ciaran Corr (Newtown Square, PA/Marple Newtown) scored a hat trick in his first collegiate game, finishing with game-highs with three goals, six shots on goal, and eight total shots attempted. Fellow freshman Grady Ballard (State College, PA/State College) finished with one goal, two assists, four shots on goal, and eight shot attempts.

Tommy Packevicz (Trumbull, CT/Christian Heritage) recorded five saves in 84:01 between the pipes, notching his first collegiate win. Alexander Ferry (Warren, PA/Warren) played a scoreless 5:59 in relief of Packevicz.

Penn State Altoona built a 3-0 lead during a dominant first half that saw the Lions (1-0) outshoot Gallaudet 15-6.

Bailey Musselman (Altoona, PA/Altoona) put the Lions on the board 12 minutes into the game, heading a corner kick from Ballard past the keeper for his first collegiate goal. Just 4:56 later, Ballard doubled Penn State Altoona's lead when he converted on a penalty kick, firing a shot into the bottom left corner of the goal for his first tally as a college athlete.

Corr scored his first goal at 28:51, increasing the Lions' advantage to 3-0 when he headed another Ballard corner kick past the goalkeeper.

Gallaudet (0-1) got on the board early in the second half, when Tristan Torbett collected a loose ball and scored on a shot into the upper right corner of the net at the 58:08 mark to make it 3-1.

But Corr scored twice more to pad Penn State Altoona's lead later in the period.

Abdul Sattar (Mount Olive, NJ/Mount Olive) sent a pass up the left side of the field, where it was taken by Corr, who raced toward the goal and beat the keeper to his right at 60:37. Corr made it 5-1 at 81:06, when he took Damian Dangler's (Warminster, PA/William Tennent) pass in the middle of the field and chipped a shot over the goalie. Sattar and Dangler's assists represented their first collegiate points.

Penn State Altoona finished the night with statistical advantages over Gallaudet in shots attempted (21-12), shots on goal (13-6), and corner kicks (6-3).

Friday's win also marked the first career victory for Penn State Altoona men's soccer's first-year head coach Fraser Kershaw.

The Lions return to action tomorrow, Saturday, September 4, hosting their home opener against non-conference opponent Wittenberg University at 12:00 p.m.