That was the reality for the Drexel men's lacrosse team last night after Hofstra scored two goals in the final two minutes of regulation to tie the game, then scored 11 seconds into overtime to win, 10-9.

The Pride rushed onto Vidas Field after Thomas Dooley fired the ball past Dragons senior goalkeeper Bruce Bickford to win the Colonial Athletic Association championship and claim their reward, an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

"It's a tough pill to swallow," said Colin Ambler, a sophomore attacker for Drexel. "It's heartbreaking."

"We had an opportunity to put them away," senior defender Steve Grossi said. "Unfortunately, we didn't. It's tough to watch them over there celebrate the championship."

The Dragons now must watch ESPNU at 9 tonight to learn whether they are one of the seven teams awarded at-large berths to the NCAA tournament. They don't expect to hear their name called.

"I really hope we do," Bickford said, "But I don't know if our chances are that great."

Despite a No. 11 ranking and a program-best 13 wins, the Dragons haven't beaten any of the teams now ranked among the top 20. Their strongest wins came against Albany and Hofstra (10-5), which no longer are ranked.

The Dragons' regular-season victory over the Pride was a double-overtime thriller, but they couldn't find the same magic yesterday.

The Dragons (13-4) held a 9-7 lead for much of the fourth period, but Anthony Muscarella pulled the Pride within one with his game-high fourth goal. Dan Stein tied the game 25 seconds later.

The game headed to overtime, but Dooley made sure it didn't last long.

Bickford said he expected the player who carried the ball into the zone or the player to whom he passed the ball, Jay Card, to shoot. But the ball then went to Dooley.

"They're patient and they moved it to the guy across the crease and got me moving to the other side of the cage," Bickford said.

That left coach Chris Bates to deliver the speech he didn't think he'd have to give.

"My heart goes out to that locker room and that group of guys," Bates said. "They did everything we asked all year long and they deserved to be an NCAA tournament team, with no disrespect intended to Hofstra whatsoever. We didn't feel like the season should be over right now."