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Manneh lifts Whitecaps past Sounders, 1-0

By WTOP Staff

MARK MOSCHETTI
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Dealing with a painful bruised quad, Kekuta Manneh had one last run down the field left in him and made the most of it.

Manneh scored in the final minute of the first half and the Vancouver Whitecaps beat the Seattle Sounders 1-0 on Friday night to move back into position for a playoff spot.

In front of 55,765 fans, the Whitecaps (11-8-13) won their third straight game and jumped a point ahead of Portland for the fifth and final Western Conference berth. Both teams have two games remaining.

The Sounders (19-10-3) remained tied with Los Angeles atop the overall MLS standings. The Galaxy visit FC Dallas on Sunday, then will face Seattle in a home-and-home series.

Manneh’s goal, his fourth of the season, came off a counterattack. Just moments before, he had walked off the field in pain, but was allowed back on almost immediately, and was completely unmarked.

Midfielder Pedro Morales sent a long through ball to a streaking Manneh up the left wing side. Sounders defender Chad Marshall caught up, but Manneh took the ball into the left side of the penalty area, deked around Marshall, and sent a 14-yard shot into the back right corner for his fourth of the year.

“I was still in pain, but I still had to go and take a chance, and it turned out to be a goal,” Manneh said. “When I came on, they played Pedro, and I was all by myself. I started running because I know his quality. He played a ball through, and it was a great pass.”

Manneh nearly scored late in the 30th minute, only to be denied on a sprawling save by Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei at the left post. Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson decided to sub Manneh out at halftime, even though he wasn’t sure one goal would be enough against a Sounders team that scored four in each of its last two games.

“I changed my mind four times on it,” Robinson said. “I said jokingly that we might have to score five because Seattle has been on fire throughout the season, especially the recent few weeks.

“It took one goal, and we’re delighted we got it. But we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted had his league-leading 11th shutout.

The victory was the first on the road for the Whitecaps since June 1 and halted a nine-game winless streak (0-4-5) away from home. It also helped Vancouver claim a second straight Cascadia Cup, a season-long derby between the Whitecaps, Sounders, and Timbers.

Seattle had two chances that barely missed late in the game. In the 90th minute, with Ousted down in the middle of the box after a collision with Seattle’s Obafemi Martins, Clint Dempsey sent a shot across a wide-open goalmouth that barely missed the far post.

Then, during the second minute of stoppage time, a free kick into the box went to Brad Evans of the Sounders, but his header was headed off the line by Vancouver’s Kendall Watson.

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily a game we deserved to win, but it wasn’t a game we deserved to lose,” Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said. “A little breakdown at the end of the first half there when Manneh was off injured and came back onto the field catches us by surprise.”

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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