MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho women's soccer has used "Ohana" as a core value of the team since head coach Derek Pittman arrived on campus in Moscow in 2014.  For three athletes, last week's trip to Hawaii was the perfect way to unite the families that raised them with their new Vandal family.  After all, that's what Ohana is all about.
 
"It was great," said Kayla Watanabe.  "I really enjoyed going home, seeing my family, seeing my friends and playing in front of them.  It was a great experience."
 
"I was just excited to see my family," Megan Goo echoed.  "And like Kayla said, being able to play in front of all my friends and family, because they haven't seen me play in person.  It was good that they got to come out."
 
"It was good to be back home and play in front of family," Summer Kaneshiro said.  "Especially some of my family members who couldn't come up to see us play, so it was good to play in front of them because I don't know if we'll have that opportunity again."
 
The Vandals didn't shy away from anything, trying everything from poke at the Goo's house to poi at the luau.
 
"It was good to see how open they were to trying Hawaiian food, and they ended up loving it," Kaneshiro recalled.  "Then just seeing the coaches and the players going up on stage to dance hula was just something new."
 
"I was honestly excited to show everyone our home," Goo said.  "The culture is just so different, with the food and everything, so letting them try everything that we love was cool.  And getting to see their reactions."
 
Fun and games aside, the chemistry developed on the trip will certainly pay dividends moving forward.  For a team that is fighting to figure things out, six days away from everything may have been exactly what this squad needed.
 
"We definitely are taking steps in the right direction," Watanabe said.  "I think the Saint Mary's game was a good game for us.  I think we're more bonded now than before."
 
"I agree," Goo stated.  "The night after we ate dinner at my house we came back and a lot of us were just chilling in one room, bonding with the freshies.  That was good.  We hadn't really had the opportunity to do that yet."
 
"Even just sharing what we bought from Hawaii," Kaneshiro joked.  "We came together and just shared what we got.  But we were together."
 
The Vandals hit the road for another pair of games this weekend, taking on Seattle U and Boise State, with only three non-conference games remaining.  Check back with GoVandals.com later today for more information.
 
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.