How Do You Define Winning: Minnesota Aurora After Five Seasons

In the 115th minute, Jaida Nyby struck the ball from outside the 18, a line drive heading for the far side of goal, and Sarah Fuller just couldn’t get to it. The goal would make all the difference for Tormenta FC, a 2-1 victory and the first USL W League championship was awarded on that Saturday night in July back in 2022. For Minnesota Aurora, winners of 13 of 14 matches in the regular season and playoffs - the only blemish being a 1-1 draw in their opening game - it was a deep disappointment. But you had a feeling they’d be back again.

Yeah, well about that.

Year Five of the USL W League has just sprinted by us, and when the dust settled another club not named Minnesota Aurora was lifting the trophy. In fact, since that title game of 2022, Aurora has not been able to reach that finals. For five years, Aurora has been the absolute model of regular season brilliance.

The playoffs, however, have been a different story.

But before we dig into Aurora’s playoff history, let me slap you with some statistics. In five regular seasons, Aurora has played a total of 60 games, winning 55 of them. The other five games? Draws. The team has not lost a regular season game in its five-year existence. Said in a slightly different way, the team has not lost a regular season game since they started playing regular season games five years ago. Truly remarkable.

Another mind-blowing stat for you; in those 60 regular season games, Minnesota Aurora has scored 222 goals, and has only given up - are you ready - 23 goals. So the team has averaged about 3.7 goals per game, and have given up on average 4.6 goals per season. Dominant doesn’t even seem to be a strong enough word here.

And yet.

In July 2023, Aurora would travel to Flint, Michigan for the Central Conference playoffs. After getting by Chicago City SC 1-0 in the semifinals, the team faced Indy Eleven - a club that Aurora beat in the playoffs the previous year. The match was a defensive struggle until the 57th minute when Indy Eleven’s Grace Bahrr took a free kick from 25 yards out and lofted a dangerous ball into the box that Sam Dewey was able to redirect right in front of Aurora’s keeper Amanda Poorbaugh for the only goal of the game. Aurora would not be making a return trip to the finals.

Aurora won the Heartland Division again in 2024, earning another trip to the playoffs, and yet another faceoff against Indy Eleven. This time, the setting would be historic Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, Michigan. In their Central Conference semifinal match, Indy scored early, but Katie Duong tied things up for Aurora at one apiece in the 66th minute. In the 82nd minute, Indy’s Addy Chester would dummy a pass, letting the ball go through her legs but allowing her to get around her defender. She reunited with the ball and fed Nicole Mitchell in the box who one-timed it for the lead goal. Minnesota would have one last gasp, a penalty awarded in the 88th minute, but the attempt by Addy Weichers was kick saved by Kathleen Phillips. From a loss in the finals to a loss in the conference finals, and now a loss in the conference semifinals.

Back in the playoffs again in 2025, and things seemed to be faring better for Minnesota. The team beat Pittsburgh Riveters and Kings Hammer FC Cincinnati in the conference playoffs, not allowing a goal in either match. On their home pitch in Eagan, Minnesota for the semifinals, Aurora hosted Utah United - a new club that had taken the Mountain Division and was also having an impressive run in the playoffs. The game was scoreless until first half stoppage time, when Utah United strung together some quick passes, getting deep in Aurora territory. And just when it looked like Minnesota was going to stop the attack, a quick toe poke between two defenders found Ellie Walbruch alone with the keeper, and she calmly slid one past and into the goal. Aurora could not find the equalizer and, as a consequence, could not find a ticket to the finals.

This past season featured yet another dominant performance by Aurora in the Heartland Division. Twelve games, twelve wins, and only one goal allowed. Division secured once again, it was time for the playoffs. Minnesota traveled to Pittsburgh and took care of business in the conference, beating Union FC Macomb and host Pittsburgh Riveters. Their reward was a trip out to Seattle to face Salmon Bay FC in the semis. And when Salmon Bay’s Ana Menti made a major gaffe by touching a ball in the box thinking she was setting up a goal kick, Ai Katagawa converted the gift penalty kick to give the visitors a 1-0 in the 28th minute. And then Aurora held on, and held on, and held on some more.

Until the 89th minute, when fortunes shifted.

A ball lofted into the box, and Aurora goalkeeper Taylor Fox went to grab it as a Salmon Bay player tried to get there as well. Fox went over the back of the player and was whistled for a penalty. Ui Kaaihue converted for Salmon Bay, sending the match into extra time and eventually penalties. And in a crazy sequence that included both keepers taking a penalty kick and missing the net, it would be Ana Menti scoring the winning penalty for Salmon Bay. Once again, the finals would have to wait yet another year.

After five years of regular season brilliance and playoff disappointment for Minnesota Aurora, here are three takeaways for your consideration:

Single elimination playoffs are cruel. Always have been, and always will be. Every American sports fan can cite a single playoff game loss after a great season with enough bile and vitriol to make you think it was done to them personally. But with season constraints as they are, the playoff format in the USL W League is not going to change any time soon. And that means eventually, somehow, Minnesota Aurora has to find a way to make it all the way through.

There is an abundance of good clubs in the USL W League. This cannot be overstated. With each year, the league has grown in numbers and in strength. This year’s finals featured two clubs that did not even exist when the league started in 2022: the aforementioned Salmon Bay and Vermont Green. Also mentioned prior, the Pittsburgh Riveters have only lost once in their two regular seasons, but have lost in the playoffs both years against Minnesota Aurora. Five different teams have won the championship, and only one club has made it to the finals in multiple years (North Carolina Courage U23 has been to the finals three times, which is in itself a pretty amazing feat).

Five years of playoff disappointment should take nothing away from what this organization has accomplished. From Day One, Minnesota Aurora has shown how you can succeed at the amateur level, and not just by playing winning soccer on the field. They have created a strong, passionate fanbase. The organization is run with a high level of professionalism. The club has become a part of the local community. And they lead by example. Look around the professional leagues domestically and internationally, and you will find players and executives who spent time with Minnesota Aurora.

So how do you define winning? If it’s just about the trophies, Minnesota Aurora may not measure up. But in the bigger picture, it’s hard not to think of Aurora as anything but a winning organization.

And there’s always next year.

by John Howard-Fusco