By
Jeff Lund
Arizona Daily Wildcat
At UA lacrosse games, goals are signaled by an ice cream truck horn, which honks from the grandstand area after Arizona scores.
Considering the way the UA lacrosse team has started the 2001 season, Arizona head coach Mickey-Miles Felton might consider replacing the worn-out horn.
Saturday's 21-4 win against Ft. Lewis College was the latest lopsided loss the Laxcats have been delivering to visiting teams.
A slow start for Arizona left an uneasy feeling in the stands at Laxcat Coliseum, but three goals in 65 seconds bumped a 5-1 lead to 8-1 and ended any chance of a comeback.
Leading 9-2 entering the third quarter, the Laxcats exploded for six goals. Freshman Charlie Mink scored two goals in 27 seconds to push the Laxcat lead to 11-2 with 14:03 left in the third quarter. Mink found the net again with 10 seconds left in the third, and the Laxcats leading, 15-2.
"We are a third-quarter team," said Charlie Mink, who had five goals in the day.
The ice cream truck's horn honked six more times in the fourth quarter, signifying six more Laxcat goals. It was the third time in four games that the Laxcats have scored 20 or more goals.
"We are just rolling over teams," Mink said. "We expect to win every game."
The Wildcats' early-season schedule has been an opportunity for the Laxcats to flex their offensive and defensive muscles.
UA assistant coach Adam Hopkins said he is pleased with how the team has played in the season and believes the easy schedule has helped the Laxcats.
"I think the schedule has worked pretty much to perfection," Hopkins said. "But we aren't getting much out of these blowout games anymore."
Hopkins said playing weaker opponents has given the Laxcats faith in teamwork.
"Our offense and defense are very confident," Hopkins said. "Our defense can take chances knowing the offense can score, and the offense can try new things knowing the defense will hold. We rely on each other. It is nice that we are able to take risks and try new things with confidence knowing the other side will back us up."
Junior goalie Greg Parkington said he enjoys having a very capable offense but at times finds it difficult to stay entertained and is looking forward to better competition.
"The defense is just happy to see the ball on our side of the field," Parkington said. "We get kind of bored playing teams that can't get it near the goal."
Felton said he was pleased with the dominance the Laxcats have shown so far in the season but thinks his team is ready to move on to more talented opponents.
"We didn't show quite enough discipline on offense," Felton said. "When you score 21 goals and they score four, that's not a big disappointment. We need to keep our focus and keep out of the press clippings."
The Laxcats will head to California for five games in nine days, including two games that will certainly test Felton's team.
"This trip will set the tone for the rest of the year." Felton said. "It will start with a competitive game against UCSB (Saturday) and finish with Whittier college."
UC Santa Barbara and Whittier college are two teams capable of giving the Laxcats all they can handle. Last year, UCSB beat UA in overtime.
"We expect to win all of our games," sophomore Jeff Kinsella said about the road trip. "We expect to win at Santa Barbara, and also at Whittier. Being that Whittier is a Division III school, we will see where we stand with the rest of the nation."
