CHRYSTAL McCONNELL/Arizona Daily Wildcat Midfielder Joe Mills looks to scoop up a ground ball against a UCLA defender. The Laxcats take on Arizona State tonight at 7.p.m.

After a week off, the healing men's lacrosse team returns to action this weekend to face ASU today and Ft. Lewis tomorrow at home.

The No. 5 Laxcats (2-1,2-0) benefited from the bye week after having some lingering injuries, head coach Adam Hopkins said.

"We had a bunch of guys who were not exactly injured, but hurt. It gave our bigger injuries time to heal as well," Hopkins said.

The team will be without star senior midfielder Bryan Moore, who is sitting out this weekend's games with a torn calf. Moore is also expected to miss Tuesday's match-up with NCAA Division III St. John Fisher, but should be ready to go for the team's trip to Utah. Senior attackman Josh Morrison, who had a concussion against No. 2 Colorado State, will also return.

Moore is the UA's second All-American to be injured, along with senior attackman Charlie Mink, who tore his ACL and is out at least until the playoffs.

Arizona faces ASU tonight at seven and Ft. Lewis at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will be played at Laxcat Coliseum, located on East 15th Street and North Plumer Avenue.

Hopkins said he feels the young Sun Devils, with 13 of 22 players being just freshmen, really want to beat the Wildcats and fire up the rivalry.

A few weeks ago, ASU head coach Jon Minder told the State Press at ASU, "Anything less than a victory over Arizona and making the playoffs this year is unacceptable."

The Lax Devils (1-4, 0-4) come into the game having lost to Division I newcomer USC, 10-7, and to No. 4 UCSB, 17-5. Their lone win has come against Division II NAU, 23-4, in the first game of the season.

Despite losing to No. 2 Colorado State, 6-5, a couple weeks ago, the Laxcats moved up one spot in the polls to No. 5.

After ASU, the Laxcats face Ft. Lewis, another young team, in the Skyhawks' first game. After going 5-9 last year and 5-4 in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Lacrosse League, the Skyhawks were supposed to move down to Division II, but decided not to.

"Ft. Lewis is a very similar team to ASU," Hopkins said. "We know that teams like these want to beat the University of Arizona because of where we are and a win or even playing well would get them a lot of coverage."

Men's Rugby hosts improving conference rival UCSD

After soundly beating San Diego State and San Diego, the men's rugby team will look for the Southern California sweep today against UC San Diego.

The Wildcats (6-4, 3-1) will look to extend their three-match conference win streak when they host UCSD (6-6, 2-4) today at 2:30 p.m. at Estevan Park -- on North Main Street and East Speedway Boulevard.

Last weekend, Arizona outscored USD and SDSU 85-26, including a 37-0 shutout of the Aztecs. Head coach Dave Sitton said the team was finally playing how they should be after a second half lapse against San Diego, which let the Torreros back in the match.

"We need to play exactly like we did the whole game against San Diego State, play aggressive," Sitton said.

Last weekend the Wildcats scored 12 trys, led by freshman fly-half Mike Gallo, two scores on Friday against SDSU and two each by junior wing Mike McCartney and senior center Wailele Sallas on Sunday against USD.

UCSD enters the match having been the latest victim of SoCal Conference leader Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, losing 60-3. UC San Diego is in just its fourth year in Division I play and was winless last year.

The match could be looked at as one of teacher versus student, as the Tritons are led by head coach Eric Takeuchi, a former player on an All-American team coached and managed by Sitton.

Though Arizona beat the Tritons last year by 100 points, 103-3, Sitton said he expects a better match up and for them to not play as physically as New Mexico or Cal Poly.

"As you can see from the score, they weren't really a physical team," Sitton said. "When you are rebuilding, you do so with athletes. I'm confident they will spread the ball around."

The other club sports at home this weekend are women's Ice Hockey, tonight at 10:15 at Gateway Ice Center in the Parents Game and men's Volleyball at the Student Recreation Center and Gittings Gymnasium in their Great 8 Tournament on Friday and Saturday. Women's lacrosse is also in action for their last home game of the season against UCSD on Sunday at 11 a.m. at Laxcat Coliseum.