I think people forget that one cannot use baking soda alone. There is an old French recipe cook book story told in the kulinary world.
when a French recipe calls for egg or eggs it doesn't mention anywhere that eggs must be room temperature. The French do not keep the eggs in the fridge. So if you are going to use cold egg you are not going to get desirable result. The same thing with baking soda. I bet sometime long ago everybody knew that when you use soda you must use either acid or rolling boiling water to promote reaction. Otherwise soda does absolutely nothing but make the baked good bitter.
That is why I always add some vinegar, always, soda neutralizes(sp?) the taste of vinegar, and vinegar promotes the bubbling reaction in soda which in turn helps raising of the dough. Try it next time, I guarantee a great result.