Vixen continue to roll with big shutout against Iowa by Jodi Rehlander For the Minnesota Vixen, Saturday night’s game against the visiting Iowa Phoenix was a roll call of usual scoring suspects plus a bonus defensive pick six as the home team scored nine times on the way to a 59-0 victory at Kuhlman Field in Edina. Grace Cooper started things off with a 9-yard run, then Emily Evans just overthrew Kate Murphy on a post. Cooper then burst through the right side for 25 yards, and a handful of plays later would score from 12 yards out, her second of the season. Iowa’s first drive was stopped by a huge third-down sack by defensive end Jocelyn Nelson, pushing the Phoenix back to their own 12-yard line. Erin “Tilly” Tilford had a great return on the ensuing punt, but a Vixen holding penalty moved Minnesota back to the Phoenix 25. Jeanie “Tank” Nelson, Bella McGrath and Kaiya Sygulla combined their talents to get another score for Minnesota, an 8-yard run for Nelson. The Phoenix came out throwing on their next possession, but things went awry as Caitlin Hill intercepted the ball and threaded her way back to the end zone for a 50-yard score. The next two times Minnesota had the ball, it was Evans and Sygulla’s turn in the spotlight, with two scores on two plays. The defense also did their part with a fumble recovery, sacks by Nelson and Chelsy Lee, and several tackles in the backfield. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for Minnesota, who faced a third-and-39 at the end of the first quarter and had trouble with PAT execution. But Connor Jo Lewis and Nelson would each score again (their third and tenth touchdowns of the year, respectively) before halftime, and the Vixen would own a 47-0 lead at the break. In the second half, McGrath and Cooper would score for the Vixen. Minnesota’s defense faced a threat from Iowa after a long pass from Jennifer Trevillian to Shannon Christensen put the Phoenix on the Vixen 17. A pass interference call would give Iowa first and goal from the 7, but once again the Vixen did not break and kept Iowa off the scoreboard. The Vixen (5-0, 2-0 Division 2) now hit the road to face the St. Louis Slam (5-0, 0-0 Division 2) in a Memorial Day weekend match-up that should decide home-field advantage in the playoffs. The Phoenix fall to 2-3 (2-0 Division 3) and will visit the Wisconsin Dragons (4-2, 0-2 Division 2) next Saturday.