Kelsey Restivo’s ‘27 Consistency Fuels Trinity Women’s Lacrosse Offense

Annika Haley ’26

Sports Editor

As the Trinity College women’s lacrosse team enters the heart of their 2025 campaign, the Bantams are hitting their stride. With a 7–5 overall record and a 4–4 mark within the NESCAC, Trinity has strung together key conference victories, including wins over Bowdoin and Hamilton, and a gritty road victory against their rival, Connecticut College. At the center of the team’s recent success is standout Kelsey Restivo ’27, whose consistent scoring has helped fuel Trinity’s offensive power this season. With 27 goals and an average of 2.18 per game, Restivo currently ranks tenth in the NESCAC in goals per game. The Tripod sat down with Restivo to discuss her breakout season, her mindset on the field, and what it will take for the Bantams to keep climbing the NESCAC standings.

Restivo has scored in each of the twelve games the Bantams have played so far, which speaks to her offensive dominance and consistency. Regarding her strong offensive performances, Restivo stated: “I think my consistency comes from the confidence that I was able to find this year. After last season I took the summer to really work on my game and my shot specifically. I found that the hundreds of balls I shot this summer translated directly into my playing this season because of the muscle memory I developed. A lot of it also comes from the feeling of being prepared before each game to play our opponent. I need to feel like I’ve put in as much work both mentally and physically as I possibly could. I also think a huge part of that consistency comes from my teammates because there are so many times where my shot is not on and I need my teammates and coaches to get me out of my head so that I can play to the standard I hold myself, and our whole team to. Overall, I’d say it just comes for that hunger to win and wanting our team overall to succeed.”

In Trinity’s game versus Bowdoin, Restivo scored five goals. Something was clearly working for her on the field that day, as she stated, “The Bowdoin game was probably the most excited I had been to play lacrosse in a really long time because it was my first game starting. I had played well all fall and during preseason. Right before the game, Coach Diss met with me to tell me I got that starting spot. I was so pumped and starting the season with a NESCAC matchup made it even better. The first offensive play of the game the goalie got caught outside the net and I actually missed a wide-open shot which was not an ideal way to start your first game, but I think it was a blessing in disguise because, for lack of better words, it lit a fire under my ass. I was so angry and embarrassed that I knew I couldn’t let that happen again. It also helped that our team hadn’t been scouted, so Bowdoin had no idea what was coming for them. I don’t really remember even taking many drives in that game, I think I scored mostly off of cuts and feeds from my teammates. I just knew deep down that we were a better team and I was determined to prove that. I was honestly just so on and I can’t really describe it because, in the moment, I can’t even realize what I’m doing until I do it. I think our offense overall just clicked and we were moving the ball around them. Every turnover caused by our defense was followed by a goal on the offensive end, and I heavily fed off of that momentum. I felt that I had something to prove going into that game.”

When a player starts to light up on the field, the opposing defense will begin to try and shut them down, which Restivo has been facing in her matches. Restivo shared her experience on how she stays locked in when teams adjust their defense to deny her: “This is a really hard question because I’m still kind of trying to figure that out, it’s also one thing my coaches have been trying to work with me on. In the past I would hide behind the net and take myself out of the play, which is not ideal. Coach Diss [Katy Sztmanski] told me that when I can’t get a drive off because they send three defenders to me, to keep my head up and look for that feed, or if I’m being denied the ball to go work and get someone else open. Mentally, it’s so frustrating, but there are so many other ways to contribute other than scoring a goal. It’s just as important to make that assist or be the reason that your teammate is open. I just know when something is not working, to try something else until I either find a spot, a move, or an offense that’s going to work. It’s all about being adaptable and creative in those moments.”

There has been a shift in Restivo’s game since her freshman year. When asked about her growth in confidence and leadership since last year, she said, “This year compared to last year has been a huge shift in just about everything lacrosse wise for me. As a freshman, I came in from a really competitive high school team in Long Island where I had a strong junior and senior season. I was probably playing the best lacrosse of my life at the time. Going from such a high then to being a freshman in college took a huge toll on my confidence. I had to learn a new style of play with new coaches and a new team of girls that I had never played with before. In high school, I played with the same girls since kindergarten. For a while I was stuck in my ways and could not make a change for the life of me. As the season went on I got better, but nowhere near where I needed to be. I left freshman year so frustrated at the sport, at myself, and overall how the whole season went. I was determined to never feel like that again, so I spent my summer doing shooting and dodging and developing into the player I am now. I fell in love with lacrosse and competing all over again. When I came back in the fall I was my most confident self, and hungry to win and play my best lacrosse. I now had such good chemistry with my teammates and was honestly an unrecognizable player. Throughout this season, my coaches have pushed me to have more of a vocal role on the offensive end because I do see so much. As a sophomore it has been challenging because I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but it is so rewarding to feel like I have such a huge part in our success. It honestly only makes me excited for the next two seasons because there is still so much growing left to do.”

Trinity’s offense has been very balanced this season. The goals are spread among the offensive players, with six players having over ten goals. The offense is clearly clicking on the field, and Restivo explained what it is like to play among her teammates: “Realistically it took our offense so much work to get to the success we’re having now. We have such a young team. Coming into this season, we had four out of seven new starting players which is a huge shift from last year, but so refreshing at the same time. We needed time to figure out each other’s styles and tendencies, but once it clicked, it was so amazing to see. Every single girl on the field genuinely wants to play for each other and it is so evident. No matter what, we are trying to make each other better and that comes from playing game speed against ourselves at practice. I honestly have never seen a group of girls get more pumped up watching their teammates score or make a play like us. The unselfishness is what makes us so great. We celebrate every little thing because we thrive off of that positive momentum in games. Following something good with something better is what wins us games. I genuinely feel safe when Sarah Marvin ’27 has the ball because I know she’ll take care of it and is so sneaky on the crease. When Alex Lesko ’26 gets a feed to the middle I know she’s going to catch and finish that play. Brooke Kurtz ’25 throws in assists that I can’t even fathom how she got the ball through five defenders sticks but somehow pulls it off. As a freshman, Ivy Armentrout ’28 plays with so much confidence and is a threat all over the eight meter. Kaeley Zito’s ’26 drives inspire me to take the ball and be a force. Grace Denious ’26 is the most poised and composed player and makes everything look effortless and easy. We all bring so many unique skills to the table and feed off of each other’s energy. This group of girls is so special and we couldn’t do it without all of us.”

When teams begin to find success, the chemistry and energy among the team is usually high. Regarding her team’s chemistry, Restivo said, “After spring break and spending so much time together in California, our team is a group of sisters. We cannot get enough of each other whether that’s our choice or not. Every game we get together is so important because we only get fifteen guaranteed, and we make the best out of every single one. I think we all see the level at which we’re playing right now and the potential we have for playoffs and it’s so exciting and rewarding to see our hard work paying off. We have so much fun together and are always cracking jokes left and right, making the not so fun moments enjoyable. We crave that lighthearted atmosphere where dancing and sarcastic comments are encouraged, and I don’t think any of us would have it any other way.”

To conclude the interview, the Tripod asked Restivo about her team goals and personal goals as the season continues on. She answered with, “Every year the goal of ours is to win our NESCAC matchups, but overall, I think we really want that home playoff game and to see Wesleyan again so we can get our redemption. Our team is so hungry to play in the NCAA tournament and make it far in the NESCAC. The real goal is to win everything, and that means that we need to keep getting better and building off our successes. Personally, I just found out I tore the labrum in my right shoulder, which is not the best news, but I’m working on playing with the injury and finding ways to contribute because some games I will be in pain, which is a hard reality. I want to capitalize on those moments when I feel good to help us win those gritty games and continue to find my voice as a leader and grow into that role more, even if it is more vocal and not through my playing.”