Laxcats prepare for tough test at national championships

Leigh-Anne Brown Arizona Daily Wildcat Sophomore midfielder Matt Wilkens (8) tries to get around a UCLA defender during a game earlier this season. The Laxcats will face No. 7-seed Colorado today in the opening round of the USLIA National Lacrosse Championships.

Arizona heads into the tournament as the No. 10 seed.

Head coach Mickey-Miles Felton said the team is looking forward to arriving in St. Louis and getting the championships started.

"It is a great challenge for us," Felton said. "We are really excited about the opportunity to play other teams at this level."

Colorado enters the tournament looking strong at all of its positions, but especially in terms of its midfielders. This presents the Laxcats with a problem since they are used to focusing on teams' attackmen-based offense.

"We are changing our defensive strategy to counter their strength at the midfield position," Felton said.

Arizona started the season slowly, winning just two of its first seven games. The losses were attributed to the team's youth and a tough schedule. In a span of two weeks, Arizona played No. 1 California, No. 6 Sonoma State, No. 2 BYU and No. 9 Michigan. The Laxcats lost to each team, but showed improvement and lost to the Wolverines 14-13 in overtime. Arizona used the experience from playing such high caliber teams, and the momentum from the game against Michigan, to win 10 of its next 14 games, including six of its last seven.

Senior attackman Dan Price led the Laxcats in the regular season with 42 goals and 39 assists. Sophomore midfielder Matt Wilkens scored 37 goals on the year, and freshman attackman Matt Green scored 40 times.

On the other side of the field, Arizona started the season with numerous injuries to key defensive players. At one point the Laxcats only suited up three defensive players total. Sophomores Jeff Cady, Tom Christian and senior Phil Guliano were all forced to sit out games this year. Cady has been the anchor of the defense for the Laxcats all season. He is consistently placed on the most talented player on the opposite team.

"Cady comes to play every game," Felton said.

The Laxcats assured themselves a place in the national championships with a 12-11 win over California April 17. The win made them the second USLIA team from the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League, earning an automatic bid.

Chris Reimer can be reached at Chris.Reimer@wildcat.arizona.edu