PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College women's basketball team hung close with fourth-ranked Rock Valley College in the first half of its North Central Community College Conference (N4C) opener on Wednesday, but the Golden Eagles pulled away in the second half for an 80-50 victory over the Hawks.

The Golden Eagles (12-5, 1-0 N4C) came out hot from the opening tip as Jaycee Cleaver's (17 points) 3-pointer gave the visitors a 13-3 edge just four minutes into the game. The Hawks (4-11, 0-1 N4C) fought back and got eight points off the bench from guard Jackie Stroud (Norridge, Ill. /Ridgewood) to cut the deficit to 21-15 after one.

In the second quarter, Harper continued to close the gap and took its first lead of the game at 28-27 with 3:12 left after back-to-back baskets from Lane Winkler (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows). Rock Valley closed on a 6-0 run to take a 33-28 lead into intermission.

That lead quickly grew to 13 (41-28), and the Golden Eagles took command with a 26-point third quarter in which they shot 9-of-17 from the floor and built a 59-38 lead.

Harper got no closer than 19 points the rest of the way. Freshman forward Tamara Zivak (/Barrington) scored four points in the final quarter.

The Hawks shot a respectable percentage (18-of-41, 43.9 percent) from the field but committed 26 turnovers and made only 9-of-19 free throws. The Golden Eagles shot 45.3 percent (29-of-64) in the game and outrebounded Harper 39-19.

Stroud finished with a team-high 16 points for the Hawks, and Winkler and Kim Herzog (/Buffalo Grove) each had nine points. Rock Valley was led by top scorer Brianna Davis, who poured in a game-high 23 points and dished out six assists.

Harper will look to regroup with another N4C game Saturday at home. The Hawks host Triton College (12-5, 1-0 N4C) at 1 PM in the Wellness & Sports Center.