WASHINGTON - The Gallaudet University men's soccer team kicked off the 2024 season here Saturday afternoon at Hotchkiss Field against Southern Virginia University. The Bison are hosting the Tristan Torbett Kick-Off Classic, a three-day tournament featuring four teams.

Gallaudet (0-1) dropped its season opener against Southern Virginia, 13-0, while Alfred State College defeated University of Valley Forge, 9-1, in the earlier game on the second day of the classic.

The Bison dropped back and hunkered down on defense in the first half against the Knights (2-0). The visitors got on the scoreboard three times in the opening 45 minutes to take a 3-0 lead into the half.

The teams regrouped at halftime and the Bison came out spirited and gained ground on the offensive side of the field. GU recorded three shots (two on goal) against the Knights over the course of the final 45 minutes.

Just after the halftime break, first-year midfielder Josh Rodriguez (Tampa, Fla.) had GU's first shot on goal in the 46th minute. Not long after, fellow first-year forward Stokely Karp (Framingham, Mass.) tallied two shots. Karp blasted a high kick in the 54th minute and headed a ball on goal in the 58th minute.

The Knights continued to pepper the Gallaudet goal with shots as Southern Virginia netted 10 second-half goals.

Southern Virginia forward Landon Stock (three goals, one assist) led the way with a hat trick and one assist for seven points in the win.

UP NEXT
The third and final day of the Tristan Torbett Kick-Off Classic is tomorrow (Sunday, Sept. 1) as the Bison play host to Alfred State (1-0) at 1 p.m.

About Tristan Torbett
Tristan Torbett was a two-year letterwinner on the Gallaudet men's soccer team (2021, '22) where he played in 29 games (28 starts) and tallied nine points on three goals and three assists. Torbett logged nearly 2,500 minutes in a Bison uniform and is a member of the U.S. Men's Deaf National Team. In September 2023, Torbett suffered a stroke while traveling with the U.S. Men's Deaf National Team to Malaysia for the World Deaf Football Championships. You can read about Tristan's heroic battle for survival in this Yahoo Sports story: "A stroke turned his World Cup into a nightmare. A medical 'miracle' saved his life." Tristan also sat down for an interview with U.S. Soccer last spring, watch it here.