Atherton, Calif. — Early-season habits cultivated in the right way usually lead to campaign-long success.

Two of those evident in the opening matches of The Master’s University 2017 season is the playmaking of Benjamin Tembo and the goalkeeping of Casey Phillips.

For the second game in a row, Tembo scored twice and Phillips notched a shutout as the TMU Mustangs men’s soccer team blanked the Southern Oregon Raiders 2-0 Thursday afternoon in Atherton. The Mustangs are now 2-0.

Tembo, who learned much from playing alongside fellow Malawi native and three-time All-American Humphrey Mahowa the past two years, struck early for the Mustangs, taking a pass from Leonardo Anjos and putting one in the net from the far right wing at the 3:18 mark of the first half.

Then, just over 15 minutes later (18:42) he took a pass from Luis Garcia-Sosa and ripped one between the pipes, beating Raider goalie Wyatt Zabinski from the left wing.

Those were the only two scores of the match and, frankly, with the way the defense and Phillips played, that was more than enough.

Both sides managed five shots on goal with Phillips recording two saves in the first half and three more in the second stanza to keep his goals-against average at 0.00.

The Mustangs hope these habits persist Friday when they take on UC Merced to complete their brief trip to the Bay Area.