FARMINGTON, Maine – The University of Maine at Farmington men's soccer team scored early and often as the Beavers sailed past visiting Plymouth State University, 5-1, in UMaine-Farmington's 2021 season opener on Saturday afternoon at Leib Field.

Seven UMaine-Farmington players came away with points in the contest, which was the Beavers' first victory in a season opener since the 2017 campaign.

Yusuf Mohamed netted two goals for the Beavers, including the game's first goal in the seventh minute of play with a header inside the 18-yard box off a Cade McHugh service.

McHugh extended the UMaine-Farmington lead to 2-0 in the 29th minute when he sailed into the six-yard box and redirected Gracien Mukwa's cross from the far side of the field. The Beavers held off Plymouth State's attempts at staging a counterattack, and the game went into the halftime intermission with UMaine-Farmington holding a 2-0 advantage despite being outshot 8-7.

UMaine-Farmington finally broke the game wide open with three goals in the span of 12 minutes midway through the second half.

Mohamed charted his second goal of the day in the 67th minute when he won a footrace to a loose ball and caught Plymouth State keeper Nicolas Cornejo out of position for the comparatively easy score.

Aric Belanger volleyed Cassidy Pound's corner kick offering past Cornejo in the 78th minute, extending the UMF lead to 4-0. Pound capped the Beavers' scoring for the day when he hooked a corner kick directly into the Plymouth State goal in the 79th minute to put the Beavers in front, 4-0.

UMaine-Farmington lost its bid for a clean sheet for keeper Jonah Sautter in the 84th minute on Sondre Asheim's unassisted score on a direct kick from 25 yards out, which slipped just inside the UMF goal post.

Sautter finished the day with a career high nine saves in the Beavers' season opening victory, while Cornejo logged four saves for the Panthers. UMaine-Farmington charted five corner kicks to Plymouth State's two.

UMaine-Farmington men's soccer takes to the road for its next three games, beginning with a matchup at Husson University on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 3:30 p.m.