From whistle to whistle Minnesota Aurora dominated another match. An early goal from Ai Kitagawa put the hosts up in under 20 minutes and from there it was cruising. Three more goals followed in the first half, which were met with a single goal in a rain soaked second half, with Aurora leaving a cold and wet TCO Stadium with their eighth win of 2026.
With just two days between matches for Minnesota Aurora manager Jen Larrick retained most of the squad from Tuesday's dominant away victory. Four new players came into the eleven with Isaac Ranson slotting in at goal replacing Taylor Fox. Kalo Iongi, Olivia Rush, and Skye Leach replacing Maia Tabion, Flavie Dubé, and Kyra Karfonta.
Northland Soccer Journal
For the third straight match Minnesota Aurora was unable to score in the opening quarter-hour of football. Eighteen minutes in Skye Leach got the first goal of the night for Minnesota on a play that started with a short corner and ended from her boot near the six yard box. Less than 10 minutes later Ai Kitagawa snagged her 8th goal of the season sending a lofting shot over the keeper following a beautiful through ball sent by Olivia Rush.
As the match went towards the 40th minute, Aurora tacked on a third goal. This time coming off the boot of Jeanette Fieldsend, who skipped a shot towards goalkeeper Molly Vapensky, who tried to grab the ball but it slipped through her hands and went into goal. Four minutes later Gracie Dunaway smashed home a fourth goal before the break, with an assist from Skye Leach who made her third goal contribution of the night.
Ashle Lynn Paige 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
Just over ninety seconds into the second half the match was called to a halt due to lightning, leading to a 30 minute delay before the players re-took the pitch. Following the delay and warmup period the two sides jumped back on the pitch to finish the second half of football.
After a slow re-restart to the match it took a bit for either side to find footing on the ever becoming slicker turf. But twenty-five minutes into the second half Talia Coury slipped a pass to Maia Tabion, who easily put the shot in at the far post to extend Aurora's lead to five-nil, where it would ultimately end the night.
Next up for Aurora is a rematch with Sioux Falls City FC at TCO Stadium in Eagan on Wednesday, 17 June. Kickoff is set for 7pm in what is Aurora's penultimate home match of the 2026 USL W League season.
