Women’s Kaw Valley FC drop first game of season 2-0 against Minnesota Nathan Swaffar Women’s Kaw Valley FC dropped its first game of the season Thursday night as Minnesota Aurora defeated the Cranes 2-0.

Minnesota dominated in many facets as the Cranes struggled to find consistency outside of goalkeeper Anna Mayer. The first 15 minutes of the half saw both teams looking for advantage in the midfield, but Minnesota still controlled a majority of possession, which spelled doom for the rest of the half. As the half went on, Minnesota began to find greater success in the final third, finding shot after shot, however, Crane goalkeeper Anna Mayer kept making great save after great save to keep Minnesota out of the back of the net. Minnesota continued to apply pressure on all fronts as the Cranes struggled to keep up as shots continued to rack up against Kaw Valley. Still, Mayer continued to act as a brick wall and kept Minnesota out of the back of the net, until the 40th minute when Jelena Zbiljic put home an easy finish off a cross to put Minnesota in front. Although Minnesota continued to threaten with a second goal before the end of the half, they never found it thanks to Mayer’s 10-save first half performance as the Cranes headed into halftime down 1-0. The beginning of the second half didn’t go the way the Cranes wanted it with Minnesota continuing to apply pressure and it led to another goal in the 53rd minute to go up 2-0. Mayer continued to serve as a wall between the posts as she made one of her best saves of the night in the 64th minute on a 1-on-1 with a Minnesota forward to keep the deficit at only two. The Cranes managed to string passes together as the game went along and started to find more opportunities in the final third, highlighted by a strong free kick from Adah Anderson that forced Minnesota goalkeeper Sarah Fuller into a save. Kaw Valley’s final goal scoring opportunity came in stoppage time from Sydney Watts, but her shot soared over the goal as the Cranes ended the game with no goals and a 2-0 loss.

The women will return to action as they hit the road and travel to St. Louis to play the Lions on Wednesday, June 8. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m