KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- For the first time since 2015, the Western Michigan women's soccer team claimed the MAC Tournament Championship. The Broncos downed Buffalo in the championship game by a final score of 5-0. The Bulls hadn't allowed more than two goals in a game all season heading into today's match. 

The win also locked WMU into the NCAA Tournament, which will be the program's first appearance since 2015. The NCAA Tournament will begin next weekend, and the Broncos will be making their fourth appearance in program history. 

Abby Werthman was named the MAC Tournament MVP, with Jen Blitchok, Jaden Peck and Brielle Gomez joining her on the All-MAC Tournament Team. Werthman had a hat trick in the championship game, while Blitchok tallied five points. Peck chipped in a goal and Gomez spearheaded another clean sheet for the Broncos. 

FIRST HALF
WMU opened the game with a strong chance, getting a look from Blitchok off of a corner kick. Blitchok had three shots in the opening 10 minutes of the first half. WMU kept up the offensive pressure as the game progressed to the middle portion of the first 45 minutes. Ava Beckett fired a shot on Buffalo keeper Lexie Thompson that she was able to save in the 18th minute. 

WMU goalkeeper Lauren Boafo made a diving save in the 30th minute to keep things tied at 0-0. She finished the game with four saves. A few minutes later, the Broncos finally broke through, getting tripped up just outside the box. Werthman buried a shot in the top left corner of the goal to put WMU in front 1-0 in the 38th minute. The Brown and Gold carried that one-goal lead into the last half of play. 

SECOND HALF
Everything opened up for WMU in the last 45 minutes, as the Broncos found the back of the net four times in the half. Just under 10 minutes into the half, Peck used a great pass from Blitchok to bring WMU's advantage to 2-0. That marked Peck's second goal of the tournament. 

Not even two minutes later, Werthman netted her second goal of the game and third of the tournament to give WMU a 3-0 advantage in the 57th minute. The Bulls dug in defensively following that goal and found some chances of their own. Boafo made a key save in the 63rd minute to keep WMU in front by three. 

In the late stages of the game, WMU's offense proved to be too much to handle. Werthman tallied her third goal of the game and fourth of the tournament to make it a 4-0 game in the 82nd minute. However, the Broncos were not done there, as Blitchok notched her 17th goal of the season in the 87th minute. 

WMU went on to close out a 5-0 victory and notched its fourth MAC Tournament Championship in program history. 

UP NEXT
The Broncos have punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament and will learn their opening round opponent tomorrow at 4 PM. The NCAA selection show will be aired at 4 PM on NCAA.com.