UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A one-timer in the 80th minute by Shea Moyer gave No. 4 Penn State a 1-0 win over ninth-ranked West Virginia in their women’s soccer opener.
“One mistake cost us tonight,” said Nikki Izzo-Brown, whose Mountaineers (0-1) suffered their first season-opening loss since 2014. “I thought we were all over Penn State. Unfortunately, it’s a game about finishing. They finished their chance, and we didn’t.”
WVU finished with a 13-7 shot advantage and a 7-3 edge in corner kicks.
Alone at the top of the 18-yard box and with the ball at her feet, Moyer took the angle on the Mountaineer backline and sent a low shot past WVU junior goalkeeper Rylee Foster inside the far-left post.
Penn State goalkeeper Amanda Dennis made five saves, while Foster stopped three.
“It’s a great feeling, opening night on Jeffrey Field, against West Virginia and to come home with a 1-0 win,” Penn State coach Erica Dambach said. “I love the shutout. These guys took away our rhythm, West Virginia played their hearts out, but our team dug deep.”
Needing a goal in the final 4 minutes, Mountaineers freshman Addison Clark earned a chance outside the box. She sent a hard shot toward the goal line, but Dennis was there for the Nittany Lions (1-0).
The Mountaineers controlled the flow of the match early and nearly snagged a lead in the ninth minute. Sh’Nia Gordon took a pass wide and played with her defender inside the 12-yard box before firing a shot that pinged off the far-left post and back into play.