Jefferson survived a furious comeback and made its free throws down the stretch to hold off Dubuque Hempstead for a 63-58 win Tuesday night (Dec. 14) at home.

Jefferson came out ready to play and took an early 7-0 lead. Sophomore Taylor Jacobson led the early attack for the J-Hawks scoring 10 points of her team-high 19 points in the first quarter. The J-Hawks used a press and aggressive 2-3 zone to fluster the Mustangs into early turnovers.

The J-Hawks kept the pressure on in the second quarter and continued to bother the Mustangs with the press. Jacobson stayed hot finishing the half with 15 points and leading the J-Hawks to a 36-20 advantage.

Hempstead came out in a box and one on Jacobson and a press of their own to creep back into the game in the third. Jacobson was held to zero shot attempts as the offense slowed for Jefferson. The Mustangs won the quarter 14-11 to narrow the margin to 47-34 going into the final quarter.

In the fourth the Mustangs turned up the pressure and came out aggressive on offense to make it a game. A pair of free throws by Junior Brittani Graves with 6 minutes left to play got it back to a single-digit deficit for the first time since early in the first.

Jefferson Coach Larry Niemeyer was forced to take off the press early in the fourth when the Mustangs narrowed the gap. Graves continued to lead the Mustangs back, cutting the J-Hawks lead to three with 45 seconds left to play.

Jefferson scored its final eight points from the free-throw line to hold on for the win.

Sophomores Kaitlyn Davidson and Rachel Broghammer added 15 and 14 points, respectively, for the J-Hawks.

Junior Brittani Graves led the Mustangs with 26. Senior Megan Kluesner and Freshman Haley Van Cleave each added 10 points.

Jefferson goes to Washington Friday night in a boy/girl varsity doubleheader.

After leading by only one at halftime, the J-Hawk sophomores controlled the second half and roomped to a 53-31 win. Freshman Madison Blietz led the J-Hawks with 12 points. Sophomores Alleigha Green and Maddie Koolbeck each added 10 points.

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HEMPSTEAD (58): Tauke 4 1-2 10, Kluesner 3 4-4 10, Doty 3 0-0 9, Donohue 1 1-1 3, Graves 6 14-17 26. Totals 17 20-24 58.

JEFFERSON (63): Davidson 3 7-12 15, Madsen 1 3-4 6, Jacobson 6 6-6 19, Broghammer 7 0-0 14, Steffeny 1 2-3 5, Grissom 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 18-25 63.

Halftime — Jefferson 36, Hempstead 20. 3-point goals — Hempstead 4 (Doty 3, Kluesner 1), Jefferson 5 (Davidson 2, Madsen 1, Jacobson 1, Steffeny 1).