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US women rout Mexico 8-0

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

SANDY, Utah (AP) — In the waning moments of the U.S. women’s rout of Mexico, the crowd behind Hope Solo’s goal began chanting her name.

They knew she was on the verge of making history. With the 8-0 U.S. victory, Solo collected her record 72nd shutout with the national team.

“The best part about it is the best is yet to come,” she told cheering fans when the milestone was announced at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night.

She passed Briana Scurry (1994-2008) on the career list. Solo has played in 154 international matches.

“It’s been a long journey. A lot of tears, a lot of blood, a lot of sweat. Some heartaches, Some incredible moments,” she said. “It’s crazy to think it’s been close to 15 years.”

Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach each scored twice for the United States, which improved to 28-1-1 against Mexico and extended the women’s winning streak to 86 straight games on American soil. Sydney Leroux, Heather O’Reilly and Whitney Engen also scored.

The U.S. will host Mexico again on Thursday night in Rochester, New York.

Both teams are training for October’s championship of soccer’s North and Central American and Caribbean region, which serves as qualifying for the Women’s World Cup next year in Canada. The United States and Mexico are in opposite groups for the championships, which will be played in four U.S. cities with the final scheduled for Oct. 26 at PPL Park in Pennsylvania.

The United States went up 1-0 in the 12th minute on Mexico captain Alina Garciamendez’s own goal. Garciamendez was trying to slow the hard-charging Wambach and stumbled, knocking the ball over goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago’s head.

Wambach made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute, and Morgan scored in the 36th minute, dribbling the ball off her chest and over Santiago into the goal. Santiago threw her hands up in frustration following the play.

Wambach added her second goal in the 41st minute off a feed from Morgan.

Morgan’s second goal came in the 56th minute. Less than two minutes later, Engen scored on a header to put the United States up 6-0.

Morgan needs just two more goals to become the 10th player in the team’s history to reach 50.

“I thought we had a lot of opportunities and I thought we put away a lot. Obviously there were a couple that were close, a couple unlucky shots, but overall I think everyone was really happy with the result tonight,” Morgan said. “And just the fact that we didn’t really drop our level too much, obviously there was waves her and there, but I thought overall we set the tempo.”

Morgan made her international debut at Rio Tinto, the home of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake, back in 2010 — a game that was dubbed the Snow Clasico because it was played in a frigid snowstorm. The United States won that one 1-0 and players made snow angels on the sidelines.

Mexico’s lone victory over the United States came during qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. Mexico won the semifinal 2-1, forcing the U.S. into the third-place match and then a two-game playoff against Italy for a World Cup spot.

The last time the two teams met was in Washington D.C. last September. Leroux had four goals in a 7-0 shutout.

Ranked No. 1 for the past five years, the U.S. has been in Salt Lake this past week for its first extended training camp under coach Jill Ellis, who took over on an interim basis when Tom Sermanni was fired in April, and then got the job going forward in May. Ellis is charged with cutting her roster to 20 players for the CONCACAF championship.

Ellis praised Solo for her accomplishment.

“I tip my hat. I’m phenomenally proud of her,” Ellis said.

“Her teammates worked hard for her to make sure Mexico had lots to do on the other end. Really proud of her. Very deserving.”

Solo was already thinking ahead.

“I still feel young, I still feel good, I still feel healthy,” she said. “And hopefully the best part of the journey is yet to come. Hopefully next summer in Canada.”

Mexico is ranked No. 25 in the world.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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