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Laxcats prepare for top-ranked Sonoma State

By Charles Renning
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Friday Apr. 12, 2002

After more than a week off, the Laxcats will travel to Northern California to take on No. 1 Sonoma State tomorrow - UA's final game of the regular season and a final tune-up as it heads into postseason play.

The No. 6 Laxcats (13-1, 6-0) will be looking to avenge both of last year's playoff losses to the Cossacks (14-1, 5-0).

UA dropped a pair of games, one in the West Coast Lacrosse League semifinals and another in the United States Lacrosse Intercollegiate Association preliminaries, to Sonoma State.

"They beat us soundly last year," Hopkins said. "But they can't possibly be prepared for us this year."

However, this will not be a game of revenge for the Laxcats, according to head coach Adam Hopkins.

"It's not about revenge," Hopkins said. "We're 13-1, and we haven't put ourselves on the map. This (game) could be the one to do that."

UA is coming off a 22-7 drubbing of Arizona State in Tempe on April 3rd. With that win, the Laxcats clinched the WCLL South regular-season title.

The team has had more than a week to prepare for the Cossacks, something that senior Jay Spatafora said would be key.

"We know their offense and defense," Spatafora said. "We'll have everyone back."

Both junior defenseman Jeff Kinsella and sophomore attackman Jeems Lockridge have been a little banged up and used the week to get healthy.

"Everyone was real tired," Spatafora said. "(The week of no games) gave us a chance to recuperate."

Sonoma State is one win away from winning its own WCLL North championship and comes into the game as the top-ranked team in three different polls.

The Cossacks are the defending WCLL champions and finished No. 7 at the US Lacrosse Intercollegiate Associates National Tournament.

Sonoma State, which is led by attackman Ben Alexander and midfielder Brian Cummings, is coming off a 19-8 win against the University of Colorado on Monday.

The Cossacks are on a current six-game winning streak over the Laxcats, which dates back to 1997.

"Sonoma is the hardest place (to play) in the USLIA," Hopkins said.

According to Spatafora, the Laxcats have a good chance of knocking off the Cossacks if they stay disciplined and play their style of lacrosse.

Hopkins said that the first 15 minutes of the game will be key to his team's success and that he expects an intense game.

"It's going to be a war," he said.

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