MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho soccer is back to the grind, working harder than ever during this spring season.  So far the Vandals have played three games and, although they haven't all gone their way, the squad continues to improve and grow heading into next year.

“It has been really good,” said head coach Derek Pittman.  “Spring is all about developments, so we kind of do some funky things.  It gives us a chance to really try new things and get everybody some playing time.”

The Vandals opened the schedule at Gonzaga, playing four 30-minute periods.  The different structure allowed Pittman and his staff to see different athletes for longer stretches.  Idaho then took on Concordia and Seattle U in Portland last Sunday, utilizing the same system for substitutions.

“We were looking for some specific things to accomplish, after Gonzaga and heading into the two games in Portland, to get better and I think we did that,” Pittman said.  “We talk about it all the time, we want to play as organized and as intense on the defensive side of the ball as we can.”

Defense was a strong point for the Vandals last year, as the team set program records for goals against average and shutouts, and Pittman knows that it will be a key in 2016.

“Our defense has been good, I think they've done a good job of limiting opportunities in all three games,” said Pittman.  “There were a couple of lapses in concentration, which led to all three goals we've conceded.  But that's to be expected, we're not in mid-season form yet, we haven't played since November.  But we'll clean some of those things up and get better moving forward.”

The offense has been coming along as well, but is still in need of a spark moving forward.

“What we want to get better on at this point in time is finishing off our chances that we are creating,” Pittman said.  “We've created a lot of chances so far but unfortunately right now we aren't finding the back of the net.  That's going to be a big focus as we finish off this spring season.”

Idaho knows that this spring season will be incredibly important for the success of the team in the fall and is treating each game as such.  The Vandals won't be able to fly under the radar in 2016, as the entire Big Sky will be aiming to take them down.

“We're finding ways to raise the standard and raise the bar,” said Pittman.  “The standard now is not just making the conference tournament but competing for conference championships.  That needs to be at the forefront of our mind.  How are we continuing to improve and get better at the little things that ultimately put us in a place where we can compete for a conference championship next year?  That's what we're pushing our players with right now, not to be complacent, not to be comfortable or satisfied.”

The Vandals will next take part in a 7v7 tournament, hosted by Gonzaga, in Spokane on Saturday.  The tournament begins at 10 a.m. and will feature squads from Gonzaga, Eastern Washington and Montana.

The tournament will consist of two pools with one team from each school in a round-robin format.  Top seeds from each group will advance to the semifinal round in the afternoon.

Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho soccer by following the team on Twitter and Instagram, @VandalsSoccer, or on Facebook by searching Idaho Vandals Women's Soccer.

For more information on Idaho Athletics, visit GoVandals.com.  Fans can also find Idaho on Twitter and Instagram, @Idaho_Vandals, or on Facebook by searching Idaho Vandals.