KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech played toe-to-toe with the lone NAIA men's soccer team remaining with an unblemished record, however a second half goal from Warner Pacific's Andrew Martinez helped the visiting Knight salvage a 1-1 draw at the OIT Soccer Field.
 
With the result, the Knights (16-0-1, 11-0-1 CCC) clinched the Cascade Conference regular-season title and automatic bid to the NAIA Championships. Tech ran their unbeaten streak to eight games and can clinch the No. 2-seed in the CCC Tournament with a win tomorrow vs. Multnomah.
 
"The boys battled their hearts out," said OIT head coach Sean McManamon. "It's tough not to get the result, but we put the shift in and executed the game plan. The boys left everything out on the field – you can see the passion that they battled with today."
 
OIT (10-1-4, 9-1-2) struck first in the 16th minute – just the second time WPU has trailed this season. John Sarna made a long, angled run, through the midfield, playing a ball to Andrew Pasang. The sophomore made a move left and launched a low 25-yard liner into the bottom right-corner of the net.
 
The hosts had a chance in the 26th minute to add to their lead – earning an in-direct free at the 6-yard-box – but the Knights defense blocked the first chance and a second Tech shot missed high.
 
Following the break, WPU wasted no time earning the equalizer. Hunter Leach played a cross inside the area to Andrew Martinez – as the NAIA's leading scorer lined a shot into the left corner of the net for his 27th goal of 2022.
 
Both teams had opportunities to take the lead – but were unable to find the net. Brock Rideout was unmarked on a 62nd-minute corner kick, with his header just missing high over the crossbar. Martinez had a chance in the 69th-minute, with his 18-yard free kick missing high. Rosendo Juarez-Flores lined a shot from inside the area in the 79th-minute for OIT, but the attempt missed left, while in the 86th-minute, Cade O'Neill took a feed just outside the 6-yard-box and ripped a one-timer off the crossbar.
 
Tech finished the day with an 11-9 edge in shots, with the two sides combining for 30 fouls and 10 cautions in the physical match.
 
OIT closes out the regular-season against Multnomah tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 p.m. – with the squad honoring its six senior student-athletes (Rideout, Sarna, O'Neill, Joel Witts, Reilly Combs, Roni Rountree) in a pre-match ceremony.