Which, of course, is why I threw in the equally down-to-the-wire CUSC/CESA match as a control measure. One match could be random, but two in a row against excellent teams can hardly be coincidental. I think that says a LOT for a season's worth of development...
And since we're talking development, there are many great things (and people) in this world that "struggled to exist" at one point. The only thing that made the difference between great success stories and nonexistence was the will to continue the struggle.