HOBOKEN, N.J. – The third-seeded Ithaca College women's basketball team had its five-game winning streak snapped and fell to top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology in the title game of the Empire 8 Championship tournament on Saturday afternoon, 70-44, in Canavan Arena.  With the loss, Ithaca's season comes to an end at 16-11 while the Ducks, who improved to 21-6 on the season with the win, earned the Empire 8's automatic bid into the 2016 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship.

In the early goings of the opening quarter, Stevens jumped out to an early lead after converting back-to-back transition buckets in the paint to hold a 4-2 lead just 1:31 into the contest.  The Bombers would counter on their next possession, however, as Jordan Beers connected from downtown on a feed from Ali Ricchiuti to stake Ithaca to a one-point edge, 5-4.

The lead would change hands three times over the next two minutes before the Ducks pushed their lead to double-digits after putting together a 12-1 run to make it 18-8.  Ricchiuti halted Stevens' momentum momentarily with a jumper from the elbow, but the Ducks would close out the quarter with another fast break lay-up to hold a 20-10 lead after 10 minutes of play.

Stevens would push the margin to as many as 15 points in the second quarter before the Bombers began to find their stride.  Down 30-15 with 4:39 left before intermission, Ithaca would reel off seven of the game's next nine points including four from senior Keri Steele to pull with 10 points, 32-22, with 2:50 showing on the clock, but that was as close as Ithaca could get in the opening half as 12 first half turnovers allowed Stevens to build a 12-point lead heading into the locker room, 34-22.

Coming out of the break, Ithaca would make it a 10-point game after Beers sank a jumper, but the Ducks were relentless on the offensive end, scoring seven unanswered points as part of a 14-4 run to build a 20-point lead, 48-28, with 2:19 left to play in the frame.  Julie Yacovoni would get one back at the charity stripe before Stevens scored on its next possession to take a 21 point lead.  Ithaca would score back-to-back baskets to cut it to 17 points, but a final second lay-up allowed the Ducks to hold a 19 point margin heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth, Stevens would push its advantage to as many as 28 points after outscoring the Bombers 18-11 over the final 10 minutes of play to earn its third conference crown.

Steele and Yacovoni finished with 10 point each while Ricchiuti added eight points and four rebounds and three assists for the Bombers. 
As a team, the Bombers shot 17-of-57 (.298) from the field and committed 20 turnovers.