Messy Ending to a Great Year

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This past weekend Adelphi Field Hockey got a bit dirty…

Actually they got covered in mud!

The team officially ends the school year in a messy fashion. On Saturday, May 9th Adelphi Field Hockey took on the Mud Run Survival Race out east in Riverhead, Long Island. The team ran a 10k that was fill with a variety of obstacles and most importantly a lot of MUD!

“It was a great bonding experience, and it was a lot of fun being able to experience my first mud run with my team” said junior Mary Plotas.

The team may have walked out with some bumps, bruises, and clothing soaked in mud, but most importantly memories were made!

“It was such a great time,” said freshman Jamie Ahrens. “It was physically challenging, but was so much fun I didn’t even realize how much I was running!”

Not only did the players run, but also former captain and future grad assistant,  Briana Rubinstein did as well!

“Even though I am a senior and wasn’t required to participate, all these girls are still family to me,” said Rubinstein. “It was like I was a part of the team again and was an amazing experience, I wouldn’t want to get dirty with anyone else!”

This run officially concludes the end of the Adelphi Field Hockey spring season! However, make sure you check out the short video of the mud run below! 

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From Turf Shoes to Heels

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Adelphi Field Hockey ends the year attending the annual athletic banquet this past Monday, May 4th.

The field hockey team celebrated not just an end to a monumental season, but also celebrated their team captain Molly Cuevas winning the Z.Paul Aiken Award and MVP. Along with Cuevas’s accomplishments, Adelphi Field Hockey celebrates their team seniors, Carly Aceves and Briana Rubenstein.

Not only did Danny MaCabe, Adelphi athletic director, mention that Adelphi Field Hockey made it to the NCAA’s for the first time since 1972. He also mentioned that they earned NFHCA National Academic Award for this school year.

Although the school year is wrapping up and summer is right around the corner. Adelphi Field Hockey has one more team activity planned for this weekend. On Saturday, May 9th AU Field Hockey plans on getting dirty as they partake in the annual Long Island 10k Mud Run!

Adelphi Field Hockey Juniors’ Thoughts on Their Last Spring Season

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With the end of the 2015 Adelphi Field Hockey spring season wrapping up that means that for nine juniors this will be their last spring season. Adelphi had a good run this spring, playing in one day tournament and four friendly-competitive scrimmages. The players really felt that they got a lot out of it.

“We grew together as teammates, and improved on both our strength and skills,” said junior defenseman, Maria Guerrisi.

For many of the field hockey juniors it’s almost a surreal feeling knowing that it will be their last spring season.

“It’s really strange knowing that at the same time next year we won’t be playing anymore with the team for the first time in three years,” said junior midfield, Brooke Bittel.

For some juniors the realization that this is their last spring season really sunk in.

“The fact that this was my last spring season, I cherished every second of it,” said junior forward Mary Plotas. “I treated every game like it was the NCAA finals because I knew I wasn’t going to be given this opportunity again”

A bittersweet feeling is definitely present for these juniors. It is their last spring season, but it is also the start to the last championship season.

“In my three years playing, I have finally seen the fire I knew this team should have, we want it more now then ever,” said junior midfielder Nicolette Lodato. “This spring reminded us of how good winning feels and I think that will motivate us like crazy next fall.”

This spring season has been one for the books for the Adelphi Field Hockey program. Allowing the team to grow together, and improve on all assets of their game. Preparing the team for their championship season, which for nine players will be their last.

“We are competitors now, not just players,” said Lodato.

Spring Season Comes Winding Down for AUFH

Photo from Adelphi Athletics

Photo from Adelphi Athletics

Last week marked the end of Adelphi Field Hockey’s spring season. However, Adelphi ended it on a high note. Playing Hofstra University in the beginning of the week for a friendly match-up. Although Adelphi field hockey didn’t win they were still able to hold their own against the division I program. Ending the scrimmage with a 3-2 end score.

Officially ending the season was Wednesday’s friendly match-up against division III Mercy College. Regardless of the tricky weather on Wednesday, Adelphi was still able to get opportunity to play. Adelphi took home the win with a score of 4-0, which will be the last scrimmage of their spring season.

However, even though Adelphi Field Hockey isn’t playing any more games they will still be lifting three times a week until May 8th. Also coming up for Adelphi is the 10k mud run that the entire team signed up for on May 10th along with annual athletic banquet on May 4th.

Adelphi Takes the Field in the First Spring Tournament Weekend

Team huddles after first game on Sunday.

Team huddles after first game on Sunday.

This past weekend Adelphi Field Hockey took to the road on Friday and headed up to New England to play a weekend filled with hockey!

They started off the weekend by playing against in-conference opponents, American International College (AIC) in Springfield, MA. This game was a more friendly competition with no winner or score keeping. This is the first spring game of the spring season for Adelphi.

“It was really nice coming back together as a team and seeing the potential that we have to win next year,” said senior forward Mary Plotas.

After AIC the Panthers stayed overnight outside of Boston to get ready for the annual Babson Tournament held in Wellesley, MA on Sunday morning.

The Babson tournament is a much more competitive than AIC. It is a tournament style 7v7 contest with a tournament winner, which will receive dry fit tee-shirts. Last spring Adelphi won the tournament and won all but one game.

This spring Adelphi Field Hockey almost won the whole tournament for the second year in a row, but unfortunately lost in the finals in over-time against Babson College.

“We fought really hard throughout the whole tournament. I think we came together as a team as the tournament progressed and learned to work together,” said senior goal-keeper Kelly Serrao.

The Panthers played six games before the championship game. They won all expect one against Endicott College. With the success throughout the day they qualified for the championship game against Babson. Adelphi ended up scoring first, but Babson quickly retaliated with a goal making the score 1-1 at the end of the 25-minute game.

The end of the game led to 1v1 with the goalies were each team picked three players to go one-on-one against each teams goalies. Adelphi let in two goals, and Babson only let in one goal. Making the end score 3-2 Babson.

Overall the team looked at this weekend as a success, giving the team a great opportunity to play at a competitive level.

“It was a great experience with good opportunity for people to try new positions and for us to prepare for our fall season,” said junior defense player Tina Brindisi.

Adelphi Field Hockey plays again against Division I Hofstra University this upcoming Friday 

Plotas takes shot on goal during Sunday's game.

Plotas takes shot on goal during Sunday’s game.

Rookies Take on First Spring Season

Fresh Five

Fresh Five

Adelphi field hockey welcomed five new freshman to the team. Jamie Ahrens, Elizabeth Mercuri, Amanda Gargiulo, Samantha Nizich, and Kerrigan Roth. These five freshman came in not knowing how intense the championship season would be, but went through each game and every practice with high intensity. As the fall season has come to and end the spring season is just beginning these rookies are in store for a whole different season.

“Coming into this spring season I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but so far I have been happy with how things are going,” said Mercuri.

The spring season started out with mandatory lifts and conditioning three times a week. Also 6 a.m. indoor play once every week.

“We have been working extremely hard in preparation for next fall, through our lift sessions and practices,” said Nizich.

The intensity of the spring season just got turned up after this spring break. Now the field hockey team is still lifting three times a week, practicing every Tuesday and Wednesday with coaches and holding captain’s practices once every week.

“I feel much stronger than I ever have before, and I am excited to be able to get outside and work on the things that I had trouble on during the fall season,” said Mercuri.

Not to mention Adelphi Field Hockey opens up this weekend with their first spring tournaments. They will be traveling to Springfield, MA Saturday morning to play against a conference opponent, American International College, and then stay over night to play in an all day tournament Sunday, hosted by Babson College.

“I am really excited for this upcoming spring season,” said Ahrens. “I have found it to be very rewarding thus far and I can’t wait for tournaments to begin!”

This spring season is all about improvement and growing together as a team.

“I believe we all hope to keep the success of this fall rolling through the spring and into next fall, doing our best to go further and become champions,” said Roth.

Rubenstein Expected To Play in 2015 Maccabi Games

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Photo from Adelphi Athletics

Adelphi Field Hockey’s senior defensive back Briana Rubenstein was selected to play in the 14th annual European Maccabi games in Berlin, Germany this summer. At this international event Rubenstein will represent Team USA.

Rubenstein is from Bayport N.Y. and was a major defensive staple in this years season. With 21 starts, she recorded 15 defensive saves and had the most defensive saves throughout division II field hockey.

Not only was she a defensive threat she also added to the offense scoring 3 goals this season. She is the go-to-player for offense strokes and ended the season with a perfect 2-2 stroke record.

Rubenstein talks about her upcoming trip to Germany this summer in the video below.

1 Week Until Adelphi Field Hockey Returns to the Turf

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After being locked inside all winter  Adelphi Field Hockey will finally be returning to the turf in one short week! The field hockey program will be practicing two times a week with the coaches and than hold one captain practice per week to begin final preparations for the Spring season.

Even though the winter has been a long one, the AU Field Hockey team hasn’t let that stop them from improving. The team has been working three time a week with the new strength and conditioning coach, Keith Ferrara. Along with conditioning the team has been getting up bright and early every Tuesday morning to play indoors in the Adelphi gymnasium. However, not only has the team been improving psychically, they have also been growing more united as a team.

The Field Hockey team has signed up for several events that they will take part in as a team. Such as the Long Island 10k Mud Run, Relay for Life, and the first annual Adelphi Dodgeball tournament.

AU Field Hockey will take the field for their first official Spring practice on March 24 to prepare for their first tournament in April.

ADELPHI FIELD HOCKEY PREPARES FOR 2015 SEASON

FIELDHOCKEY ROSTER

Many people who think of field hockey associate it with strange looking sticks and chronic back pain. However, those who appreciate the game and talent that goes into playing it, understand it’s a lot more than that. Typically, field hockey is looked at as being a female sport. However, the sport is played amongst both sexes and is extremely popular in continents such as Europe, South American and Africa and is played roughly in 112 countries. Field Hockey was first brought over to the United States in 1901, but it wasn’t until the 1920s when it was played at clubs and colleges. Today field hockey is mainly played in on the East coast of the United States but it still increasing in popularity.

However, for Adelphi University, field hockey has broken ground. In 2008, Gloria O’Connor was hired as head coach of Adelphi Field Hockey. She ended up rebuilding the program after a long 20-year hiatus. After seven building seasons the field hockey program has finally grown from being a newly underdeveloped program to being now nationally ranked throughout the country for division II. This past season has seen great success. The field hockey team made their first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 1981. Adelphi Field Hockey is a part of the Northeast-10 Conference and plays all throughout New England and also in Long Island. Recruitment for this team has no boundaries, whether you are a local Long Islander or a cross-country Californian, all are welcomed!

With the 2014 season over, the Adelphi Field Hockey team is already underway in preparations for the next season.

This blog will be an inside look on this growing program. Coverage of this team will include videos of games and practices, as well as game recaps, interviews of players and coaching staff, and constant updates on the teams progress through the Spring Semester.

Enjoy being on the inside!