PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College women's basketball team pushed No. 13 (D2) Kankakee Community College to the limit on Tuesday night. The Hawks led for the majority of the night before the Cavaliers took the lead with 3:52 remaining and held on for a 71-67 win.

The Hawks (2-9) trailed 14-12 after a quarter but really picked up their play in the second quarter. Lexi Zades (/Conant) facilitated the offense, creating open shots for her teammates. Lane Winkler (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows) knocked down a jumper to give the Hawks a 28-22 lead with 2:25 to play in the second.

Mary Saitta (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates) provided the crowd with a thrilling moment of her own, nailing a buzzer beating 3-pointer to give the hosts a 35-28 lead at halftime. The Hawks shot an impressive 65.4 percent (17-of-26) in the first half.

The Cavaliers, however, would not go quietly as they mounted a comeback in the third period, led by Israel Evans (eight points in third). The visitors outscored the Hawks 21-15 in the period and trailed only 50-49 after three.

Harper continued to play solid basketball in the fourth quarter. A Jackie Stoud jumper gave the hosts a 56-52 lead with less than seven minutes to play. After the Cavs sliced the lead in half, Kim Herzog (/Buffalo Grove) responded with a basket to extend the lead back to four. Evans provided another big basket for Kankakee to trim the deficit to 58-57 with 4:26 left, and the Cavs took the lead on a Tanzania Sherrill bucket with 3:52 left.

The Hawks responded on their next trip down as Saitta buried a jumper to regain the lead. However, a Serena Meiss basket and baskets from Jasmine Albert and Sherrill off Harper turnovers gave Kankakee a 65-60 edge. The resilient Hawks responded with baskets from Stroud and Tamara Zivak (/Barrington) and trailed 65-64 with under a minute remaining.

After Meiss missed a pair of free throws, the Hawks committed a costly turnover. Kankakee's Megan Pfister knocked down two free throws to make it 67-64 with 15 seconds left.

Harper tried to tie the game up, but an illegal screen gave the Cavs the ball back. Sherrill knocked down two free throws to make it 69-64, but Stroud buried a three to cut the deficit to two. The Hawks fouled Pfister again, and she sank two free throws to seal the 71-67 win for Kankakee.  

The Hawks shot an impressive 50.9 percent (28-of-55) from the field while the Cavs shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56). Herzog scored a game-high 19 points, and Stroud (15 points) and Saitta (11 points) both reached double figures. For Kankakee, Sherrill scored 18 points, and Evans (14 points) and Candace Finnin (11 points) each reached double digits.

Harper plays its next game at home on Tuesday, Dec. 22 against College of Lake County (0-11). Tipoff is slated for 5 PM inside the Wellness & Sports Center.