Ramstein captain Julia Atkins and Stuttgart senior Serenity Brown fight for the ball during a match April 27, 2024, at Stuttgart High School in Böblingen, Gemany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

BÖBLINGEN, Germany – Ramstein’s captain described Friday’s girls soccer match between the Royals and Stuttgart pretty well.

“It was wild,” Abby Belote said of a 7-4 victory that helped the Royals take control of DODEA-Europe’s Division I race. “Throughout the progression of the game, I think it got even crazier.

“I think the team as a whole handled the craziness pretty well.”

The fireworks began early and often, with three goals coming in the opening 20 minutes.

At that point, the Royals (6-0, 6-0) trailed the Panthers (5-1, 5-1) 2-1 behind two goals from Stuttgart attacker Leeba Curlin.

The match flipped 10 minutes later when Ramstein found the back of the net twice in a three-minute span, leading to a run of five straight goals for the Royals.

Ramstein’s Isabel Fischer had a foot in both goals. In the 30th minute, a low cross from Julia Atkins found the senior winger at the far post, and Fischer slotted it home. In the 32nd minute, Fischer passed the ball to Isabelle Donkin, who cut inside and scored with a long shot.

Fischer said she could feel the shift in the atmosphere after that stretch.

“We started working more as a team with passing and not just kicking the ball,” Fischer said. “It was easier to find balls that I could get on the ground and get straight to a player.”

Ramstein midfielder Audrey Singer shoots as Stuttgart midfielder Eva Eaton trails the play during a match April 27, 2024, at Stuttgart High School in Böblingen, Gemany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart freshman Sienna Ingle sends in a cross during a match April 27, 2024, against Ramstein at Stuttgart High School in Böblingen, Gemany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart winger Madeleine Fleming goes in on goal as Ramstein goalkeeper Liberty Snyder, left, charges off her line and center back Abby Belote chases during a match April 27, 2024, at Stuttgart High School in Böblingen, Gemany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Five Royals made the scoresheet, starting with Belote’s 13th minute equalizer after swiping at a ball in the box. The senior center back added a header off a corner by Kyndra Brown in the 50th minute to make it 5-2 to Ramstein.

The latter goal was a part of a three-goal spurt over the first 13 minutes after the break. The other two came off Stuttgart defensive errors, with freshman Audrey Singer pouncing on a miscommunication in the 44th minute and Claire Boynton scoring the first of her two goals in the 53rd minute.

The junior striker added another in the 68th minute to put the match to bed.

“I usually get to see them from the back,” Belote said. “It’s so nice to see the team blend and celebrate when they score.”

The Panthers’ defensive struggles shocked the team, according to assistant coach Chris Kelly. Stuttgart had allowed just three goals this season prior to Friday.

It erased a good offensive performance powered by Curlin; freshman Sienna Ingle, who sparked a mini-comeback in the 58th minute by saving a ball from going over the end line, cutting inside and curling a shot into the upper right corner; and freshman Madeleine Fleming, whose floated shot got past Ramstein goalkeeper Liberty Snyder (four saves) in the 64th minute.

“If we would have been told ahead of the game that we were going to score four goals, I would have liked our chances on having a positive outcome,” Kelly said. “It’s very surprising, especially since our defense to this point has been playing really well.”

Stuttgart senior Itzak Sandoval watches his penalty go into the back of the net during a match against Ramstein on April 27, 2024, at Stuttgart High School in Böblingen, Gemany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stutttgart winger Connor Eaton heads a ball ahead of Ramstein midfielder Kai Woodstock during a match April 27, 2024, at Stuttgart High School in Böblingen, Gemany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Stuttgart forward Ryan Stevenson stumbles as Ramstein defender Jayden Andrews watches the ball bounce away during a match April 27, 2024, at Stuttgart High School in Böblingen, Gemany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramsten captain Max Speed and Stuttgart's Christian Groves leap to head a corner during a match April 27, 2024, at Stuttgart High School in Böblingen, Gemany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Boys

Stuttgart senior Itzak Sandoval sat down on the turf for a quick minute after being tripped up in the 18-yard box.

He wasn’t injured. He had just won a penalty for the Panthers late in a tied match with Ramstein, and he admitted he was a bit nervous. With three minutes of regulation left, the penalty could be the last opportunity to pick up a win.

“Right as I got to the penalty spot, it was no different from any other penalty,” Sandoval said. “Right when I put it down, I got a sense of calmness.”

The captain showed the ice in his veins by converting the penalty for the lone goal in 1-0 home win on Friday evening.

Prior to that goal, the Panthers (6-0, 6-0) were frustrated by a stout defensive effort from the visiting Royals (4-2, 4-2). Chances were few and far between, with Ramstein goalkeeper Elliot Radosevich making many routine saves for seven of the eight shots he faced.

The two best Stuttgart chances occurred when a shot hit the crossbar right before halftime and when Cristian Ingle got behind the defense. Radosevich, starting for the first time this season, made the biggest stop of the night in the 57th minute.

“Hands down, Ramstein was tremendous,” Stuttgart coach Nathan Garrett said. “It took us to a PK to decide the end of the game. In my opinion, we’re evenly matched.”

Ramstein conceded possession to Stuttgart, electing not to press but to sit 11 guys behind the ball and trying to hit on the counterattack. The Royals cluttered the center to funnel the Panthers toward the sidelines.

This approach stymied the home team until Bennett Scrivens sent a through ball toward Sandoval that led to the penalty decision.

“It’s really difficult playing possession, and obviously, being an offensive player, you want to be on the ball going at the goal every time,” Sandoval said. “But Ramstein did a really good job of holding us back.”

Ramstein coach Dominik Ludes said the team showed its belief that not only could it hang with the defending Division I champion, but that it also could beat Stuttgart. And the Royals were a header saved off a corner in the 55th minute and a penalty shot just minutes before Sandoval’s from accomplishing that.

The coach praised the entire team’s defensive effort, especially Radosevich and the back line of Jayden Andrews, Kelan Vaughn, Mathias Bailey and Xavier Olivas.

“That’s just an incredible defensive effort,” Ludes said. “They’re very organized, had a very disciplined defensive effort.

“I’m very proud of them.”