Nurses often ask patients “how much does it hurt on a scale of one to 10?”

For Virginia State University, the answer might be “10 and a half, at least,” in terms of the pain felt from its most recent football loss.

As losses go, this one hurt with a capital “H.”

After going ahead with 52 seconds left, the Trojans couldn’t hold on and lost 43-40 at Chowan. The homecoming Hawks scored the game winner with 25 ticks left on the Murfreesboro, N.C., clock.

It was a costly defeat for Coach Henry Frazier’s Trojans, who fall to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in CIAA.

With a victory, VSU would still be in position to win the Northern Division. Instead, the Trojans are left with trying to finish 7-3 and a more than double last year’s paltry win total of three.

VSU’s latest loss (its second in a row after four straight wins) came despite 431 yards total offense, 23 first downs, and a valiant comeback from a 28-12 halftime hole.

Jordan Davis passed for 301 yards and two TDs with Roy Jack- son making three receptions for 73 yards and a TD. Defensively, Willie Drew latched on to his fifth interception of the season.

VSU will travel to struggling Elizabeth City on Saturday with a grimace on its face. Then comes a trip to Lincoln and next is its traditional, last-game-of-season scrap against Virginia Union at Rogers Stadium.

VSU cannot win the CIAA title, but it could possibly thwart VUU’s efforts in the grand finale. For Trojans, that might ease the pain from the heartbreaker at Chowan.

But there are some losses you just never get completely over.