Adelphi field hockey team runs 10k

If nothing else, the Adelphi University women's field hockey team should be well-conditioned for next fall.

Coach Gloria O'Connor convinced her team -- 14 players and assistant coach Regina Agrusa -- to compete in and complete the 10k.

For O'Connor, 61, it was her 20th straight year running in the day's event, and her second straight in the 10k. But several of her players hadn't done much running without being in pursuit of a ball.

"It's my first time ever doing anything like this and it was definitely tough and a mental challenge," said Arielle Theofield, a Sayville native and a junior at Adelphi. She completed the course in 52 minutes, 36 seconds. "It was kind of fun, especially doing it with all my teammates, and it's something I might take up."

After the team accepted the challenge, O'Connor put them on a training regimen that included running six miles per day, six days a week.

The biggest difference between the 10k and running during a game, O'Connor said, was there are no clock stoppages in a marathon. No halftime, either.

Molloy Cuevas, a California native, had the best time of the field hockey players, with her 44:14 finish good for sixth overall among the women. Teammate Jamie Ackerman of Nesconset was 13th in 47:51. Kristen Bagley of Holbrook, who has recovered from tears to the ACL in both knees, also completed the course. O'Connor crossed the finish line in 1:07:43.