I can't take anything away from Johns Hopkins because the Blue Jays executed their game plan in their 10-9 upset win over top-ranked Duke Saturday in the Division I NCAA tournament semifinals. But I think Duke wilted away under the pressure.

Speaking to some observers who watched the Blue Devils practice earlier here this week, Duke offensive players had trouble pitching and catching in practice. The Blue Devils lacked intensity, and maybe head coach John Danowski thought that was nothing new because the Blue Devils had played "loose" all season.

But clearly, this was a Duke team that was only a shell of itself Saturday. The Blue Devils became frustrated against the Hopkins defense, and the most disappointing aspect was that their top players, attackmen Matt Danowski and Zack Greer, committed several turnovers.

It had to be tough playing at Duke this season. The team's only goal was to get back to the national championship game, and the Blue Devils played under a microscope. Actually, they played well the entire season, but I think the pressure finally got to them Saturday. Hopkins played a good game, but Duke folded as well.