The Linn-Mar Lions enjoyed opening night in the Mississippi Valley Conference Tuesday with a 44-32 victory over Dubuque Hempstead at home.

The Lions (2-1, 1-0) were paced by Sara Strauel with 15 points. Mykaela Brandt and Kristen Eiles added seven points apiece.

Strauel scored 13 of her points in the second half as Linn-Mar rallied from a 19-17 halftime deficit.

Eiles tossed in two 3-point goals and Brandt rode 5-for-6 shooting at the charity stripe to help the Lions in the second half.

Shooting was not a strong point for either team.

Linn-Mar Coach Mike Brandt, an exemplary art teacher in the Linn-Mar school system, seemed to use some of his artistic talents during a halftime speech.

“We were shooting way too fast in the early going and not working the ball around on offense," he said. "Too often it was one pass and we launched the ball. Our shooting percentage was not very good, but we found other ways to win after the intermission.”

The offensive output was a struggle for both clubs early in the game. Linn-Mar looked like it was going to win in a route early, posting a 7-1 lead with Alexis Libenguth blocking three early Hempstead shots.

Hempstead rallied and took an 8-7 lead with seven minutes left in the second quarter and had a two-point edge at halftime behind the outside shooting of Megan Doty, who had eight points at halftime and finished with 10.

“We did a much better job with our man-to-man defense as the game wore on and did a better job of finding their shooters,” Brandt said.

“I am very pleased with how hard they work. It would have been easy after we got up early and then lived through Hempstead’s comeback to put our heads down and go flat. They played hard and I don’t think they realize where they can go as a team as the year goes on.”

Linn-Mar will leave the friendly confines of the Lions Den and tackle No. 6 Iowa City West on West High’s home floor on Friday.

DUBUQUE HEMPSTEAD (32): Kortnie Leatham 2 1-3 5, Kaitlin Lattner 0 0-0 0, Hailey Koerperich 0 0-0 0, Megan Doty 4 0-3 10, Ashley Dolan 2 1-2 5, Jessica Brown 1 3-6 6, Hope Koerperich 3 0-1 6. Totals 12 5-15 32.

LINN-MAR (44): Hannah Yearling 1 0-1 2, Mykaela Brandt 1 5-6 7, Michal Christopher 1 5-6 7, Sara Strauel  6 3-3 15, Jenna Harms 1 0-0 2, Kristen Eiles 2 1-2 7, Courtney Major 2 2-2 6, Alexis Libenguth 1 0-2 2. Totals 15 12-18 44.

Halftime - Hempstead 19, Linn-Mar 17. Fouled out - H.Koerperich. 3-point goals - Hempstead 3 (Doty 2, Brown 1), Linn-Mar 2 (Eiles 2).