Following wins over the reigning back-to-back national champions and the Mile High Blaze, the Minnesota Vixen went on the road in week three to Texas to take on the Houston Energy. The Vixen enforced their will on Houston, winning 56-6 and improving their perfect record to 3-0. Now in week four of the WFA regular season, the Vixen return to St. Paul to take on the Dallas Elite Mustangs.
Against Houston, the Vixen’s kinetic offensive attack was once again balanced between the passing and running games. Running back Paige Kuplic was thunderous against the Energy, and led Minnesota in total rushing yards. After just missing the century mark against Mile High, Kuplic tallied 137 yards on just six carries – three of which she took into the endzone. Combined, Vixen backs combined for 221 yards on 19 carries. In total, the Vixen offense had 330 total yards on just 31 plays and had only one drive end in a punt.
“It feels good,” center and captain Taylor Fox said after the game. “We had a really big focus this week on coming in and cleaning things up, especially on the offensive side of the ball, and we did a really good job doing that tonight, and obviously took care of business and put up some points.”
Through the air, quarterback Erin Kelley had another four-touchdown game. In week three, she tallied three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown and she followed it up with another outstanding performance in week four. On Saturday night, Kelley threw for four touchdowns, 119 yards and was eight of 11 passing. Wide receiver Amanda Dvorak caught three passes, scoring twice, and WR Jackie Radford continued to rack up receiving touchdowns with another against the Energy. Radford now has a receiving touchdown in each of the Vixen’s three wins. Rookie tight end Mackenzie Reed was at peak efficiency, her sole reception was a 13-yard touchdown, her first ever career TD.
Following the win, Dvorak echoed that it feels great to be 3-0 and that the team showed it was a first-half team with their hot start from the first whistle. She added that she’s built a solid receiver-quarterback connection with Kelley, which was on full display in Texas.
“I love it,” Dvoark said. “I think we’ve been playing [for] either three or four years now and you can tell now more than ever our chemistry and how we’re connecting out there. I mean, she’s got a great arm so it’s fun to run around and catch her [passes].”
On the other side of the ball, the Vixen defense was once again suffocating, limiting Houston to 144 total yards of offense, including a measly three yards on the ground on 19 attempts. Safety Britt Peterson was yet again a nightmare for opposing offenses, leading Minnesota in tackles with five, and also tallied a sack and a tackle for loss. In total, the Vixen defense had three sacks, six tackles for loss and two interceptions and kept the Energy to four for ten on third down conversions.
Special teams were special in Texas, with defensive back Kaity Hove taking the opening kick off of the game to the house, the Vixen’s first special teams touchdown of the season. Hove also made her presence known on defense with an interception in the second half of the game. International kicker Michaela Ďurišková was perfect on extra points, going eight for eight.
The Minnesota Vixen are now set to defend Klas Field at Hamline University against the Dallas Elite Mustangs on Saturday, May 19 at 6 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available, click here for more information. Dallas muscled out a 12-7 win in week three, improving to 2-0 in the WFA Division II and setting up a clash of unbeatens in St. Paul. With an incredible crowd propelling the Vixen in their home opener, the team needs Klas Field to be loud and rowdy to help show the entire Women’s Football Alliance why they should #FearTheFox.
