KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Two early second-half goals thrust Oregon Tech into the lead and the Hustlin' Owls opened their men's soccer season with a 4-2 victory over Simpson at the OIT soccer field.

"The first 30 minutes, we played well. The last 15 minutes (of the first half), we allowed them to walk over us. We were disconnected. At halftime, we talked about how we had to stay connected," OIT senior Joey Driessen said. Tech did so.

Ten minutes into the second half, Kyle Wright and Noah Pham had scored to give OIT a 3-2 lead, one the Hustlin' Owls added to almost 12 minutes later when Anthony Santillan scored. In the first 30 minutes, Tech had twice hit the post before Daniel Blessinger gave Tech the lead 10½ minutes into the contest. "I knew it was coming. He does it often," Driessen said of the set play.

Alexis Rodriguez later scored twice for the Red Hawks, who like OIT, played their first match of the season on a cool, breezy day with sprinkles falling at times.

"It was the same story," Driessen said. "We start strong, get walked over and then come back. We are not consistent." "When we stay connected, we do well," Santillan said. "What was helpful is when we started switching the ball (over the field). Brandon has adjusted us very well."

Wednesday's contest was the first for Brandon Porter as OIT's men's coach. He took over the program after former head coach Matt Munhall took the same position at Adams State University in Colorado.

"Two weeks before the season started, Matt told us he was leaving," Driessen said. "Brandon met with us a couple of times and pointed out what he expected of us, but that he wasn't going to change too much."

"Everybody goes hard every day. If we don't, we don't play," Santillan said.

"Everybody is accepting the easy adjustment," Driessen said, noting that the entire defense and the goalkeeper are new this season after OIT lost 12 seniors from last season's squad. "Everybody sees an opportunity, new chances."

"They worked harder than they had to to get the win," Porter said after he became the first head men's soccer coach to win his debut. "It wasn't pretty, but if they play more disciplined, they'll be OK."

Tech plays its next home match at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, against Southern Oregon University.