Cape Air Athletes of the Week - Kyler & Pietraszek
11/4/2019 2:58:00 PM | Football, Women's Ice Hockey, Athletics
The Dartmouth Big Green had two heart-stopping finished this past weekend to produce athletes of the week. On the road at Harvard, hoping to stay undefeated, Junior Derek Kyler heaved a hail mary pass into the endzone, where Masaki Aerts was able to corral the ball of a Harvard defender for a last second victory. The women's hockey team was all tied up and headed to overtime looking for win at home against Ivy rival Brown when freshman Celine Pietraszek got her first collegiate goal 54 seconds into the extra session for a 3-2 win.Â
Their efforts are rewarded by being named the Cape Air Athletes of the Week.
Each week, DartmouthSports.com will spotlight two outstanding student-athletes - one male, one female - as the Cape Air Athletes of the Week. Student-athletes may be chosen based upon their efforts both on and off the field of competition.
Derek Kyler, Jr., DeKalb, Ill., QB, Football
Junior quarterback Derek Kyler entered the game near the end of the second quarter for a hobbled Jared Gerbino and found Harvard's defense to be a tough nut to crack. But when Dartmouth faced a 6-3 deficit with one minute left in the game, no timeouts and the ball on its own 4-yard line, Kyler remained calm and began perhaps the greatest comeback drive in Big Green history. A short 8-yard pass was the first play, followed by a 4-yard scramble for the first down. A 19-yard completion to senior Hunter Hagdorn moved the ball to the Dartmouth 35 before an incompletion stopped the clock with only 14 seconds remaining. Kyler then found Drew Estrada for 22 yards to the Big Green 43, then rushed up to the line to spike the ball and stop the clock with six seconds left. After the Crimson called a timeout, Kyler squirmed free from a heavy rush and heaved a pass to the end zone, where it was tipped up by a Harvard defender and into the arms of junior Masaki Aerts for the improbable winning catch, keeping Dartmouth undefeated for the season and tied atop the Ivy League standings.
Celine Pietraszek, Fr., Colorado Springs, Colo.., F, Women's Hockey
Celine Pietraszek scored 54 seconds into overtime, lifting the Dartmouth women's hockey team over Brown, 3-2. This was not only her first collegiate goal, but also her first point during her time at Dartmouth. Brown tied the game at 1:48 in the third period with neither team able to convert before time expired in regulation leading to the freshman forward from Colorado Springs scoring in overtime. Her game-winning goal was assisted by Lotti Odnoga and Bailee Brekke.
