Box | Updated stats
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Top-seeded Ithaca scored four times in the first half to build an insurmountable advantage Sunday as the Bombers won the Empire 8 Conference championship for women's soccer with a 5-0 victory over visiting Nazareth.

The Bombers (14-2-2) gained an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament with the victory. Nazareth (12-7-1) is hoping for an at-large berth to the tournament when pairings are revealed Monday.

Ithaca's Winnie Adrien had two goals and an assist and tournament MVP Amy Scheffer posted three assists to lead the Bombers.

Ithaca scored twice in just over a minute of time in the first half to take a 2w-0 advantage. Adrien scored the first goal after taking a throw-in from Scheffer at 19:40. Chelsea Stouffer scored the second goal at 20:51 with assists from Adrien and Chelsey Feldman.

Adrien's second goal and 15th of the season came in the 39th minute to make it 3-0 and Lauren Koppel added the fourth goal with just 16 seconds left in the half off Scheffer's second assist. The score stayed the same until Feldman scored with 1:11 left.

Ithaca had a 30-7 edge in shots and Nazareth's Hillary Simon had a season-high 12 saves. The E8 title was the second straight for the Bombers and sixth in the last seven seasons.