By
Jeff Lund
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Despite a disappointing performance to close out the league playoffs, the Arizona men's lacrosse team will head to St. Louis for the National Championships May 8-12, after all.
The Laxcats are one of five teams from the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League that will compete for the National Outdoor Championships.
Arizona earned a No. 13 seed and will take on a familiar foe in the first round, fourth-seeded Sonoma State. Last weekend, the Cossacks handed the Laxcats a devastating 22-9 defeat in the semifinals of the WCLL playoffs. Now the teams will meet again with much more on the line.
"Sonoma will be a big game," Jeems Lochridge said. "It will be a big rivalry game."
Lochridge said the team's mindset will be different entering the rematch.
"If you have a loss, you are out," Lochridge said. "We had a big game against Cal, and everyone still has that fire."
Arizona and Sonoma State will be joined by fellow WCLL schools Stanford, California and UC-Santa Barbara at the annual tournament.
Josh Morrison said he is happy the conference earned so many tournament berths. Five of the tournament's 16 teams come from the WCLL.
"It is great for the WCLL," Morrison said. "Better lacrosse players are coming out West to play. I think the WCLL will hold its own in the tourney."
Morrison went so far as to predict the WCLL's fate in the tournament.
"I predict that one team from the WCLL will be in the finals," Morrison said.
Morrison did not say which team he expects to represent the WCLL in the title game, but said he feels the Laxcats could go far provided they can knock off Sonoma State in the first round.
"I am excited to play Sonoma," Morrison said. "It will be good for us. We're capable of beating this team, we just have to go out there and control the ball on offense."
Lochridge said if the Laxcats get past the Cossacks, they have a good shot at the title.
"If we get through," Lochridge said. "We will only have one tough game to get to the Final Four or the championship game."
