That's not how it should have ended. You deserved better after that effort. But don't you dare hang your heads after the season you had.
Southeastern Conference champs. Another Sweet 16 berth. A top-15 national ranking.
The NCAA Tournament is not meant to make everyone happy. In fact, almost all teams are going to end their years in a loss and that's a lot of what they'll remember about their seasons. How they ended.
The symmetry of it is a little much to take, also. Maryland, the No. 1 seed, ending the season for you, the No. 4 seed, in the Sweet 16, one year after the same thing happened. Last year, though, they won in a rout. This time, they needed every bit of a regional semifinal record 42 points from Marissa Coleman to outlast you all in a 78-74 thriller.
Hardly consolation. You'll think of the missed opportunities you had, and that's not what you should remember.
Here's what we'll remember.
We'll remember that this was one of the most exciting and sportsmanlike teams this university has ever had the pleasure of supporting. We'll remember that you swept through seven SEC teams at Memorial Gym. That you finally beat Pat Summitt and the defending national champion Volunteers. That Auburn lost just four times all season and two of them were at your hands. That you won the SEC Tournament without your best post player. That you made Albuquerque's Pit your own personal home court again. That senior Christina Wirth was an All-American and that fellow senior Jen Risper was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
And we'll remember that you took it to the third-best team in the nation for 40 minutes and didn't back down from their challenge over and over again. The Terrapins got a technical foul at one point out of frustration; despite many questionable calls, you kept your cool as always.
You came up short, and it hurts. We've been rooting for Vanderbilt sports for a long time and part of being a Commodore fan is dealing with heartbreak. Hell, part of being a sports fan in general is dealing with heartbreak.
But another part of sports, the best part, is recognizing great achievements.
And the 2008-09 campaign was indeed a resounding success in that regard, as the laundry list of victories, championships and honors written before evidences. And we can all expect to see you back for an 11th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2010.
For now, look back on and celebrate the careers of Wirth, Risper and senior Amy Malo, who will all be sorely missed, and celebrate the amazing year that ended all too soon. Your season was a great source of pride for Vanderbilt, and you should all be commended for your terrific efforts.
