There is rarely a bigger disappointment, but sport is full of disappointments.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies fell just short of continuing their season on Saturday night after falling to the New York Red Bulls II in the Eastern Conference semi-finals in the United Soccer League playoffs.

I feel like writing I’m writing an obituary: Here lies the 2017 season, cut down far too soon. There was mourning in the stadium, attempts at consolations from fans to players, but it rarely does any good.

It’s always the toughest to talk to a coach or player after a loss as a reporter, but a season ending loss just feels cruel. There are only so many ways to ask a man about his emotions when he’s choking back the tears before you just sound like a jerk trying to evoke a sobbing answer.

“It’s disappointing that we didn’t get the win we deserved,” Rowdies head coach Stuart Campbell said. “Without a shadow of a doubt” Campbell said he believed his team deserved to win that match. “They don’t deserve to be on that end of the result.”

It is difficult to pin any blame on one moment or one person on Saturday. Tampa Bay took the lead quickly in the first half with a goal from Georgi Hristov, but New York was able to equalize with a penalty.

“I can’t fault the players performance or effort. I can’t fault them for that,” Campbell said. “They give absolutely everything.”

Campbell sent out a tried and true lineup Saturday night, unchanged in three consecutive matches. It was an easy decision as that lineup outscored opponents 5-0 in the previous two games. Campbell sent out all the firepower he had at his fingertips in the added 30 minutes of overtime, but New York was able to score a second goal in the early minutes of the extra period. That line up also tallied 23 shots that night.

The remainder of the extra time was an onslaught of pressure by Tampa Bay but additions such as Martin Paterson and Alex Morrell were unable to help find the second goal.

“At the moment, it’s just disappointment,” Rowdies captain Joe Cole said. “Disappointment for the fans, disappointment for the players, the staff, the owner. This is football sometimes. You don’t always get what you deserve.”

If you polled the fans after the loss, they would place the blame on the officiating. The referee became the star of the show for a brief stretch, making some questionable decisions, and resulted in seven yellows for the Rowdies, but professionals are taught to look past that; to play past that.

“That’s part of professional soccer,” Campbell said.

If you asked New York, they would probably tell you they outplayed the Rowdies, whom they previously beat 4-2 earlier in the season as well, but the real culprit for the Rowdies’ loss can be placed on the New York goalkeeper and his lucky stars.

“Their goalkeeper made some unbelievable saves,” Campbell said. You have to give that goalkeeper credit. He made three or four world-class saves tonight.”

That keeper, who I am intentionally remaining nameless, could also thank his cross bar and goal posts for saving two Tampa Bay goals that night, and a defender who made a diving goal-line clearance with his head.

“Their keeper was the best player on the pitch,” Cole said. “But I don’t want to make excuses. It’s fresh now, and it’s raw, but we’ll review it in a few days and see the progress of the team, but right now, it’s just disappointment.”

Ending the season is just the beginning. Like disappointment, uncertainty is rampant in sport. In the case of the USL, it involves uncertainty for players and staff. Several players will be leaving the club after this year. Some know it, and some don’t. There is no promise coach Campbell will stay. There no promise anyone will stay. Except for one.

“I’m going to be back next season, and I’m really looking forward to that” Cole said.

It will be tough to see many leave. The last match is a lot like the last day of school. Try to say goodbye, say you’ll stay in touch, but no one was in the mood for goodbyes Saturday. No one was thinking about the future. The future wasn’t important. Saturday night was a time to grieve.

As Joe Cole said, we’ll review the season in three days’ time. Now it is time to look ahead. Look at the progress the team made on and off the field. Look at attendance, look at the success, and look towards December. December will be the time when Major League Soccer announces two team to join the league in the future. But that future is still uncertain. As for now, we should applaud the players for their efforts and look towards next year. Season starts in March.