UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Marissa Sheva (Sellersville, Pa.) couldn't have asked for a better time to net her first goal of the season as the Penn State women's soccer team outlasted No. 21 Rutgers, 1-0, in a key Big Ten conference matchup Sunday afternoon at Jeffrey Field. Sheva netted the lone goal of the match during the 48th minute of play.

"Really proud of our team today," head coach Erica Dambach said. "Defended Jeffrey Field, the shutout, great goal by Marissa Sheva, who has been working and really been the heart and soul of this team for a long time. For her to get one today for the game winner is very fitting. Just really proud of the performance all around today. I thought the team really put in a good shift."

Looking to get on the board late in the first half of play, Charlotte Williams (Rochester, N.Y.) found a cutting Kerry Abello (Batavia, Ill.) in the box in the 42nd minute. With the ball, Abello took a shot attempt from six yards out that went high of the goal.

The two teams went into halftime tied at 0-0 with Penn State (11-5-0, 7-2-0 Big Ten) holding a 7-2 shot advantage over the Scarlet Knights (9-2-5, 5-1-3 Big Ten).

With the second half of play underway, it didn't take long for the Nittany Lions to find the go-ahead goal.

On the goal, Ellie Jean (Coventry, Conn.) played the ball to Frankie Tagliaferri (Colts Neck, N.J.) from the Nittany Lion backline. With the ball, Tagliaferri moved up the Rutgers side of the field then placed a through ball to a cutting Sheva inside the box. With the Rutgers defense beat, Sheva moved up a few yards before placing a shot past Rutgers goalkeeper Meagan McClelland and into the bottom-left corner of the net at 47:36.

Penn State had an opportunity to extend its lead in the 56th minute on a shot attempt from Tagliaferri.

On the chance, Tagliaferri moved up the left side of the field before cutting back inside. From a few yards outside the box, she fired a right-footed shot on goal, but McClelland was there to make a leaping save and keep it a 1-0 contest.

During the final minutes of regulation, the Nittany Lions withstood a pair of shot attempts by the Scarlet Knights, but neither were on goal.

In net for the Blue & White, Amanda Dennis (San Diego, Calif.) made her lone save of the afternoon during the 17th minute of play to record her fourth solo shutout of the season.

The Nittany Lions now head to Bloomington, Indiana, to take on Indiana on Thursday, Oct. 18. The match is slated for a 7:30 p.m. start at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

NOTES: Penn State leads the all-time series against Rutgers, 10-6-4…Penn State outshot Rutgers, 12-9…Emily Ogle started her 91st career match…Penn State became the first Big Ten women's soccer program to record 200 Big Ten regular season wins…Penn State posted its eighth shutout of the season…Penn State is now 239-29-13 all-time at Jeffrey Field…The Nittany Lions improve to 8-0-0 when scoring first this season…Penn State is 110-7-6 all-time in Big Ten regular season matches at Jeffrey Field…The Nittany Lions are now 79-9-7 at Jeffrey Field since the start of the 2011 season...Penn State has won five straight contests…Penn State has scored 19 of its 30 goals in the second half of regulation this season...Dennis is now tied for eighth all-time at Penn State in wins with 23 (Robyn Van Praag - 1994-96).