The Triangle

Issue date: 5/9/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Dave Hernandez Kevin Dart and other members of the men's lacrosse team fell to the turf at Vidas Field right after Hofstra shocked Drexel and ended its hopes of a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Dragons set a program record for single season victories with 13, but ultimately fell short of reaching their goal of making the field of 16.

The men's lacrosse team had been writing a book that you just couldn't put down.

It featured tales of resilience (a comeback double-overtime win against Hofstra) and an ability to bounce back from adversity (never losing two games in a row all season).

It featured heroes (Dan Layfield and L.C. Moerschel). It featured legends (Bruce Bickford, Andrew Chapman and Steve Grossi).

It had highs (a seven-game winning streak) and it had lows (a horrendous effort in a loss to Notre Dame).

Plus, it featured a variety of characters (like head coach Chris Bates) to whom people could relate.

But just when you thought the book was about to take off, it all ended.

Just like that. With one shocking loss to Hofstra in the CAA Championship, the season and the book were finished.

There would be no tales of triumph, no berth in the NCAA Tournament and no history (other than breaking the single-season record for wins in program history).

It certainly would not be the first Drexel team to ever win a CAA title (through a conference playoff).

Rather, they would unfortunately be known as yet another group of Dragons that couldn't close the deal.

It's sad and disheartening, but it's a fact of life when you're a mid-major program in a cursed city like Philadelphia. Our 2006-2007 men's basketball and our women's basketball this past season could tell you that.

No historic out-of-conference wins over Virginia, Villanova or Syracuse are going to get the job done. No 13-5 conference record is going to get the job done.

It only matters what happens in the postseason.

Continued...

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