1. Princeton (#4) vs. Navy (#2)--(Saturday May 29, 12 Noon, Baltimore, MD)--[TV GAME--ESPN2]--This is Navy's last big test. Princeton matches up better against Navy that does either team in the other bracket. Moreover, Princeton has a big scouting advantage over Navy, having played its game the day before. The Swami thinks that strategy will be paramount in this contest. Two teams are already out of the playoffs due to miscues set up by late game timeouts and failure to have a last play rehearsed and down cold. Navy must hope that this game does not devolve into another slow paced match that boils down to who scores the last goal, as have four previous Navy games and three Princeton games already this season. That's just tempting fate. No team wants to get knocked out by a small margin and no team wants to get knocked out wondering if it played too conservatively. It's up to the Mids to set their own table in front of the largest pro-Navy live gate of all time. Plus, armed services personnel will be listening to this game all around the world. Playoff experience is overrated, all Navy has to do before the game is figure out how they will handle the noise of a completely enclosed stadium that should be raucous. This is the wildest and most exciting team in the playoffs, and Navy will need no motivation other than what they have going for them: Playing their best for Navy fans--many of whom will not be able to attend in person. The Swami has watched this very special team mature for two years now and likes the Mids to advance. A Navy-Hopkins final would be the Game of the Century and might do for lacrosse what the Baltimore Colt-New York Giant game of 1958 did for football. No team is more deserving than the Mids for this honor. But it won't come easy.

2. Syracuse (#3) vs. Johns Hopkins (#1)--(Saturday May 29, 3:00 PM, Baltimore, MD)--[TV GAME--ESPN2]--The Swami likes Hopkins to win this game, but it won't be a duplicate of the 17-5 blowout at Homewood Field earlier this season. Syracuse is coming off a real scare by Georgetown and the Cruisers know they're vulnerable. Syracuse has to come out of the box shooting and hope to set the pace of the game. If the score favors Hopkins at the half, it's likely to be a quick trip back to Central New York for the Orange.