Midfielder Marissa Sheva, suiting up for the Republic of Ireland’s national team in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, more than showed that she deserved to play with the best women on the planet.
Sheva, a Pennridge graduate who currently is playing her second season with the Washington Spirit in the NWSL, started for Ireland in its opening-round 1-0 loss to host country Australia in Group B play. She subbed in the 59th minute in Ireland’s 2-1 loss to Olympic champion Canada on July 26. Sheva appeared in the 84th minute of Ireland’s finale, a 0-0 draw with Nigeria on Monday.
This is Ireland’s first appearance in the Women’s World Cup. Sheva made her international debut in a Feb. 22 friendly against China. Sheva’s maternal grandparents came from County Donegal and County Tyrone, Ireland.
In four seasons of college soccer at Penn State, Sheva recorded 13 goals and nine assists in 92 caps. She twice won the Big 10 Offensive Player of the Week award and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten pick.
An elite track talent who also ran for the Nittany Lions, Sheva won the 1,600-meter run at the PIAA cross country championships her senior year at Pennridge.
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