FOXBOROUGH, Mass. --- Three things fifth-seeded Johns Hopkins (11-5) would be wise to do in this afternoon's title game.

* Keep up the goalie play. Michael Gvozden unleashed a remarkable Jesse Schwartzman imitation over the last month, and it turns out all the teeth-gnashing of the first half of the season was misplaced. The sophomore was remarkable against Duke on Saturday, and very well might need an encore against Syracuse. He seems up to the task with the help of defensemen Michael Evans, Matt Bocklet and Eric Zerrlaut.

* Tame the tempo. Sometimes conventional wisdom is right. Hopkins is built to win games 10-9 and 9-8. Syracuse, for all the talk of its improved defense, is still built to win shootouts. When Duke struggled to ignite its offense in the first quarter on Saturday, it was clear Hopkins had already secured a priceless in-game victory. Drawing things out again would exponentially improve the Blue Jays' title chances.

* Beware of Brooks. Hopkins doesn't need to be reminded of Syracuse midfielder Steven Brooks, who fired in the overtime game-winner in the teams' meeting earlier this season at Homewood. Mike Leveille will probably get his --- he had five goals despite a solid effort from Virginia's Ken Clausen on Saturday --- even with a great matchup, likely against Evans. Brooks, though, is a different sort of headache. If he is neutralized from outside, the Orange will lose a valuable option.