Minutes before Friday's Elite Eight game against Santa Clara, Lindsay Bach complained about the recent "heat wave" to hit State College.

"It's hot," Penn State's fifth-year senior and co-captain joked, removing her sweatshirt.

Despite late November temperatures in the low 20s, the No. 1-seed Penn State women's soccer team (23-0-1) continued its hot play in the NCAA Tournament, beating the No. 2-seed Broncos (17-5-2), 2-1 at Jeffrey Field.

With the win, the Nittany Lions advanced to their third College Cup, to be held in College Station, Texas. They will face fellow No. 1-seed University of Portland at 3:30 p.m. CDT Friday. The Oregon team beat Penn State 2-0 in 2003's Final Four, the last time Penn State earned a trip to the College Cup.

After the game, the Lions gave each other hearty bear hugs and screamed excitedly in a rare display of emotion.

"We're all on top of the world right now," senior goalkeeper Erin McLeod said.

The first half ended in a 0-0 tie as both teams displayed impressive defenses. Each team registered only three shots in the first half.

In the second half, Santa Clara took the lead when Micaela Esquivel drilled a shot past McLeod in the 57th minute.

The lead did not last long, though.

In the 64th minute, senior forward Carmelina Moscato headed a Tiffany Weimer pass toward the net. The ball hit off three Santa Clara defenders and bounced into the net for a Santa Clara own goal that tied the game at one.

"Scoring first against Penn State, it's kind of like rattling the hornets' nest," Santa Clara women's soccer coach Jerry Smith said. "They're going to come out firing, and they did."

With 9 minutes, 30 seconds left in the game, Penn State freshman defender Sheree Gray beat two defenders and sent an admitted blind cross into the middle of the box.

Weimer was waiting for it and headed the ball into the net for the game winner.

"I really don't know how I got to that, but it hit my head, and it went in," Weimer said with a chuckle. "I don't know what happened. Sheree played a great ball, and that's the last I saw of it when it hit my head. I didn't even see it go in."

Santa Clara would get another chance to score in the 76th minute when Tina Estrada got a one-on-one chance against McLeod. Penn State's goalkeeper made a spectacular diving save to keep her team's lead.

The Broncos, hailing from California, admitted that the frigid temperature was an added obstacle for them. Estrada said she saw snow for "maybe the second" time.

While making the Final Four is quite an achievement, Penn State women's soccer coach Paula Wilkins said her team is ready to be a national title contender.

"In the past, it's been just getting to the Final Four, but we've been there," she said. "It's time to take the next step."

Weimer was part of the 2003 College Cup team, but said the ante is raised this year.

"I don't have another chance to get back there. It's business," she said. "No more hoopla. It's business."