Ault Hat Trick Drives Big Ten Road Win

Friday, September 19

University Park, Pa.

7 p.m.

Indiana University

6-1-1, 1-1-0

Penn State

2-4-1, 0-2-0

Indiana

Penn St.

9/19/2025 10:50:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — No. 3-ranked Indiana men's soccer (6-1-1, 1-1-0 B1G) picked up three points at Penn State (2-3-1, 0-2-0 B1G) thanks to a Palmer Ault hat trick Friday (Sept. 19) night on Jeffrey Field.

IU recovered from 1-0 deficit after a set piece header from sophomore Josh Maher evened it up going into the half. Ault's three goals in the second half sent the Hoosiers home happy from Happy Valley.

KEY MOMENTS
• 8' – GOAL! Penn State graduate forward Kai Phillip opened the scoring against the run of play, beating IU redshirt junior defender Breckin Minzey to a long ball and then rounding graduate goalkeeper Holden Brown. Penn State 1, Indiana 0
• 14' – GOAL! Indiana leveled it seven minutes later as Maher headed Ault's corner kick to the back post. Indiana 1, Penn State 1
• 49' – Within seconds of each other, Indiana saw two early-second-half opportunities escape by inches. From another corner, sophomore forward Easton Bogard's header hit the crossbar. The rebound fell to Minzey, and his shot leaked through the keeper but was cleared off the goal line.
• 58' – GOAL! Ault made a tackle to give IU possession high up the pitch, passed to senior midfielder Cristiano Bruletti and punched home sophomore midfielder Michael Nesci's cross. Indiana 2, Penn State 1
• 61' – GOAL! Indiana's great pressing led to another goal. After junior forward Collins Oduro took the ball away, senior midfielder Jack Wagoner played to Ault, cutting in from the left wing. Ault took on the Penn State right back and fired a bullet to the back post. Indiana 3, Penn State 1
• 85' – GOAL! Oduro, Bogard and Ault streaked up the pitch with a three-versus-two advantage. Oduro passed across goal from the left flank, giving Ault an easy finish at the back post. Indiana 4, Penn State 1

NOTABLES
• Ault's hat trick marked the first of his career and Indiana's first hat trick since Victor Bezerra on Sept. 17, 2019, versus Kentucky.
• Ault also assisted IU's first goal, giving him seven points on the night – the most from a Hoosier since Samuel Sarver versus Trine on October 9, 2021.
• The senior transfer now has seven goals, three assists and 17 points in eight matches as a Hoosier. Ault improved his career totals to 28 goals, 15 assists and 71 points.
• Indiana earned its sixth consecutive victory against Penn State, improving 41-15-5 in the all-time series. The three-goal victory marks IU's largest margin of victory over the Nittany Lions since 1999 (3-0).
• IU has erased deficits in four matches this season, with Saturday's result marking its third comeback victory.
• Maher scored his first-career goal and earned his first points of the season.
• Sophomore midfielder Charlie Heuer saw action for the first time since sustaining an injury August 21 versus Clemson. Heuer played 30 minutes in the second half.
• In his 33rd-career appearance, junior forward Clay Murador made his first-career start. Nesci made his first start of the season.

UP NEXT
Indiana has another Big Ten road match Tuesday (Sept. 23) at Michigan State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET, and fans can watch on the Big Ten Network.

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