BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Georgia Institute of Technology’s Vedesh Yadlapalli (So., Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) contributed 10 goals, six assists, 17 steals and three field blocks for the institution’s “A” team during a 4-0 weekend at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., to earn recognition as the October 9 Men’s Collegiate Club Southeast Division Player of the Week.
Following a 5-0 forfeit win versus the University of South Carolina on Saturday, October 7, Georgia Tech “A” faced Alabama with a small bench and shy three starters in a game which would impact which program claimed the No. 1 seed for the division championship tournament on Saturday-Sunday, October 21-22, at the University of Tennessee .
Yadlapalli – who did not compete in last year’s division title game nor started a game for Georgia Tech this year – was called on against the Crimson Tide to make the difference.
The Yellow Jackets’ starting defensive hole set received a pair of kickouts in the first two minutes of the game and Tech coach Jeff Drews turned to his only other player who had any experience – all of which came during his high school days. Yadlapalli came off the bench and played the remaining 22 minutes without a break and did not receive a kickout until the end of the fourth quarter.
While facing the Crimson Tide, the Pennsylvania native stymied the Alabama offense, while scoring five goals and dishing out three assists to factor directly in eight of Georgia Tech’s eight goals in a 14-13 victory.
He aided Georgia Tech in wrapping up a perfect 8-0 regular season as the team topped the Georgia Tech “B” team (5-0 Forfeit) and host Auburn (9-7 W) as the team edged out a 7-1 Alabama squad for the top seed at the Southeast Division Championship.
