Here's what we learned about some teams in the D.C. vicinity:
* Virginia still has an affinity for one-goal games, and eventually that will cost them. You'd better believe the Cavaliers are better off paying that price next week against Duke or in the ACC tournament than they are at some point in May.
* Navy made the right call switching to Tommy Phelan. The senior made 32 saves in back-to-back victories over Georgetown and Maryland as the Mids completed the sweep of the Beltway schools for the first time since 2004. If they win the next two --- against reeling Army and nemesis Johns Hopkins --- it's plausible Navy wouldn't have to win the Patriot League tournament to reach the postseason. But it would still be nice.
* Something is seriously wrong with Maryland's offense. The Terrapins have scored four goals in their last 98:32, and they simply looked disjointed against Navy. Things aren't entirely dire --- they're 6-4, have a couple ACC wins, and will be in the postseason assuming they avoid a stupid loss down the stretch. But there is fixing to be done in the coming weeks.
* Georgetown still has hope. The Hoyas still need some help with their postseason push, but at least they knocked off an overachieving Fairfield bunch to stabilizing things a little bit. Things would look a lot better without those St. John's and Hobart losses, but at least the Hoyas are at .500 entering a conference showdown with Loyola next weekend.
This week's IL ballot (plus five more teams):
1. Virginia (12-0)
2. Princeton (8-1)
3. Syracuse (7-2)
4. Notre Dame (9-0)
5. Cornell (7-1)
6. UMBC (8-2)
7. Duke (8-3)
8. Johns Hopkins (4-4)
9. Hofstra (7-1)
10. Navy (8-3)
11. Maryland (6-4)
12. North Carolina (8-4)
13. Brown (9-1)
14. Colgate (7-3)
15. Massachusetts (6-3)
16. Loyola (6-4)
17. Albany (6-3)
18. Georgetown (5-5)
19. Harvard (5-3)
20. Bucknell (6-5)
21. Fairfield (6-3)
22. Ohio State (6-4)
23. Towson (5-5)
24. Army (5-6)
25. Stony Brook (5-4)
--- Patrick Stevens
