For the third consecutive game Sacred Heart Greenwich’s Varsity A lacrosse team found themselves involved in a close matchup when it hosted Lawrenceville School Wednesday afternoon.

And for the third consecutive game the Tigers emerged victorious, extending their impressive winning streak in the process.

Senior midfielder/captain Payton Sfreddo recorded three goals and one assist, while junior midfielder Charley Bacigalupo had a hat trick to power Sacred Heart Greenwich’s Varsity A team to a well-earned 11-9 victory over Lawrenceville. The Tigers, who raised their overall record to 7-1, held the lead on Lawrenceville after the first quarter ended in a 3-3 tie.

Sacred Heart held a 7-4 advantage at halftime, then maintained its edge in the second half against the visitors from Lawrenceville, N.J.

Senior attack Wowie Walker tallied two goals and one assist, senior midfielder/attack/captain Kaitlin Robinson registered one goal and one assist and sophomore midfielder Georgia Gillis also had one goal and one assist for the victors.

Maggie Bacigalupo, a senior midfielder, added a goal in the winning effort.

“They were a good team, I think we didn’t come out as ready as we wanted to or thought we would,” said Robinson, who will continue her lacrosse career at Duke University next season. “We spent a lot of time preparing, but we just didn’t have a great day, but we’re ready to work.”

Following the opening quarter, which concluded with the score knotted at 3-3, Sfreddo scored back-to-back goals, giving SHG the lead for good, 5-3. Her second goal came with 9:46 remaining in the second quarter.

“We expected a better performance, but a win is a win, so we’re happy with that,” said Sfreddo, who will play lacrosse at the University of Virginia next season.

Sacred Heart entered the game after going 2-0 on their trip to Washington, D.C., where they posted a 14-12 win over Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart (April 12) and a 13-12 overtime triumph against Georgetown Visitation (April 13).

Since dropping an 11-9 decision to Noble and Greenough School in their season-opening game, the Tigers are 7-0.

“We had a great trip, we played Stone Ridge and Georgetown Visitation,” said SHG senior defender/captain Olivia Leahy, who will take her lacrosse skills to Stanford University next season. “Georgetown Visitation was an overtime win. It was a very successful trip overall, we definitely played very well and I think that’s something to look back on and try to repeat as we continue forward.”

Lawrenceville was aggressive throughout and gave Sacred Heart a tough, competitive matchup. The Tigers led just 5-4 until Lillis scored off a dodge at the 2:47 mark of the second quarter, making it a two-goal game. A goal by Charley Bacigalupo with only 10.7 seconds to go in the second quarter, put the Tigers on top, 7-4.

“I think it was a pretty tough game,” Leahy said. “It definitely showed a lot of things that we have to work on going forward to get wins against future opponents. But I’m glad we pulled out the win. We played hard, we just have a lot of takeaways, a lot of things to work on in the future.”

Maggie Bacigalupo sparked Sacred Heart to a strong start in the second half against Lawrenceville, converting an 8-meter shot, making it 8-5 47 seconds into the third quarter.

Lawrenceville cut the Tigers’ lead to 8-6 with 6:50 left in the third period. Yet the home team received clutch goals from Walker, Sfreddo and Charley Bacigalupo thereafter.

“The key aspect was to play with grit and play with intensity, because even if you’re making mistakes and it’s not your best day shooting, you can’t really outwork someone who is hustling to every ball, boxing out and just playing with a lot of hustle,” Sfreddo noted.

A goal by Walker made it 11-7 in favor of the Tigers with 8:50 to go in the final quarter. Lawrenceville notched the game’s last two goals, but SHG held on for the win, its seventh of the season.

“I think our team is doing great this season, today wasn’t our best showing of lacrosse, but we’ll keep working and get back at it,” said Maggie Bacigalupo, who will play lacrosse at the next level at Princeton University. “We had some turnovers, but we’ll keep working and get better.”

Like Leahy, Robinson, Sfreddo and several other athletes, Maggie Bacigalupo is competing in her fourth varsity lacrosse season.

“My senior year has been so much fun, it’s been so awesome,” Maggie Bacigalupo said. “There’s nothing better than playing lacrosse with your friends and teammates for your last season.”

Addyson Flinchbaugh and Franco, the Tigers’ goalies, combined to make six saves against Lawrenceville. Sacred Heart played sound defense throughout its latest matchup before its home crowd.

“We can credit the win to our defense and ride,” Kaitlin Robinson noted. “We had a lot of caused turnovers in midfield that helped us get the momentum back.”

“I think it was a pretty tough game,” Leahy said. “It definitely showed a lot of things that we have to work on going forward to get wins against future opponents.”

Sacred Heart will be up early on Saturday for its home game against Notre Dame Academy, which hails from Massachusetts.

“Saturday will be a great matchup and it will fun to have a home game,” Sfreddo said.

Next week, Sacred Heart visits longtime neighborhood rival Greenwich Academy for a 4 p.m. showdown.