But Opoku made it count twice, scoring two goals in a row as the Bobcats opened up on the Beavers with a 3-0 victory at Garcelon Field on Wednesday night.

The Beavers were forced into a defensive posture for most of the game thanks to the Bobcats’ ball handling and passing.

Opoku broke the ice with 36:43 remaining in the first half when he drove the ball into the right side of the net past UMF goalie Matt Wilson, who was under siege most of the night. Peabo Knoth picked up his first of two assists on the night.

The Beavers had few opportunities to score in the first half, but there were moments when they could have punched one in in the second half.

But Opoku was every where the Beavers didn’t want him to be, especially in front of the net.

He was in the right place a second time and scored at 39:19 with no assistance. But Opoku is a team player and pointed to the entire team’s efforts.

“We have very strong wing power and attacking backs. We have been working on this all season, and I think it is working out well,” Opoku said. “Most of them are very fast. We work really hard as a team.

“Beavers are good side. We didn’t underestimate any team this season. We don’t care how strong the team looks or how good they are. We are ready to fight no matter what.”

The Bobcats were now in firm control the rest of the way when Nate Merchant used a Knoth pass and blasted in the net from 25 yards out to make it 3-0

But Bates’ patience and smooth handling of the ball was uncanny.

“It’s soccer, right. You’ve got to be patient. It is a 90-minute game,” Bates coach Stewart Flaherty. “You have to have the mindset that it will take as long as it needs to take, and if it takes you an hour to score. it takes you an hour. If it takes you 70, 80 minutes, you have to be able to do that without frustration and anxiety building up, so I think it is the strength of the group.”

“They are all fast. We will built this team for four years, recruiting wise. Our main agenda is wanted speed down the center, speed down the left flank and wanted speed down the right flank, and when you have all three, you are pretty tough to defend against.”

That speed put the Beavers of the defensive and limited their scoring opportunities.

“I think they have a good team. You can tell,” UMF coach Tommy DiNuzzo said. “They have some good young attacking players. No 11 is a good player. I thought he did a good job.

“I thought as the game went on, they got a little more creative with their movement and that posed us some problems.

“Like we told our guys, we thought the effort was really good, but at times you have to be a little bit smarter with how you work.”