Oct. 8, 2007

LANCASTER, PA - Johns Hopkins freshmen Alex Lachman (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) and A.J. Albert (Franklin Park, NJ/Immaculata) have been selected as the Centennial Conference Special Teams and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for their efforts in Saturday's 20-17 upset of previously unbeaten Dickinson. The selection as the Special Teams Player of the Week is the third of the season for Lachman, while it is the first time Albert has been honored.

Lachman hit 2-of-3 field goals and both of his extra points in the win over the Red Devils. His second field goal - from 40 yards out - came as time expired to lift the Blue Jays to the win. It is the first time Johns Hopkins has won a game with a field goal on the last play of regulation since Ben Scott beat Carnegie Mellon at the gun early in the 2005 season. In addition, it is the first time a Centennial Conference game has been won on the final play of regulation since 1985.

Lachman is currently 8-of-9 on field goals and 12-of-12 on extra points this season. His only miss of the year came on a 43-yard attempt with less than a minute left in regulation against Dickinson. The Blue Jay defense forced a turnover less than 30 seconds later and Lachman was true from 40 yards as time expired. His eight field goals on the year are already a school single-season record for a freshman and rank as the fifth-highest single-season total overall. Combining field goals and extra points, Lachman hit the first 19 kicks of his career before missing the 43-yarder with 55 seconds left against Dickinson.

Lachman was given the chance at the game-winner after a spectacular play by Albert, who forced and recovered a fumble with 34 seconds remaining. Albert posted a career-high 11 tackles, recovered two fumbles and had the one forced fumble to his credit in the victory. After recovering a Dickinson fumble inside the Blue Jay 10-yard line early in the fourth quarter, he went one better in the final minute as he stripped the ball from Dickinson's Ian Mitchell and maintained possession of the ball while going to the ground at the Hopkins 47-yard line. Five plays later Lachman hit the game-winner.

Albert has played in all six games with two starts to his credit. He currently ranks fifth on the team with 33 tackles and counts 1.5 tackles for losses, one sack, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one pass breakup to his credit. His 33 tackles are the most among all freshmen on the team.

Johns Hopkins will return to action on Saturday when the Blue Jays host Ursinus.

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