FOXBOROUGH, Mass. --- Let's keep this short and sweet.

A low-scoring affair favors Johns Hopkins.

A shootout portends a fine day for Syracuse.

Trouble for Syracuse is, the Hop has shown no inclination to play a shaky defensive game any time in the last seven weeks.

It was then the Blue Jays simplified their defense, clogging up the middle and pushing opponents off to the wings. It's made it easier for goalie Michael Gvozden to pick up the trajectory of shots, and a defense that does not have a bunch of groundball specialists isn't exposing its greatest weakness very often.

Syracuse has the goods to win its 10th national title. But the thought here is at around 3:15 p.m., the words "dynasty" and "Johns Hopkins" will be used in tandem once more. The Blue Jays escape with a 10-9 victory and celebrate their third championship in four years.

--- Patrick Stevens