Vilseck Falcons' Dalilah Lambarena defends against Spartans captain Iveta Stefancinova in a matchup in Vilseck, Germany on May 3, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
VILSECK, Germany – SHAPE didn’t travel to Bavaria looking to lose. And its performance in Saturday’s rainy soccer matchup against Vilseck backed that up.
Girls
SHAPE 3, Vilseck 0: Early on, both squads tested each other’s back lines, trading swift offensive drives that ended with the keepers racking up multiple saves. But midway through the first half, Spartans sophomore and team captain Iveta Stefancinova broke the deadlock, weaving through the Falcons’ defense to score the team’s opening – and only – goal of the half.
The Falcons remained upbeat at halftime, having nearly equalized in the final moments of the first half — only to have a potential tying goal called back for offsides.
Going into the second half, defender Mayela Lokeni made valiant efforts to secure the team’s back lines.
However, Stefancinova – the SHAPE captain – was able to sneak in another goal and Patricia Fernandez eventually finished the scoring.
Now in her second year with SHAPE, Stefancinova has stepped into a leadership role this season. She credited much of her performance to the support of her teammates and coaching staff.
“The coaches are an important part of our family,” Stefancinova said. With a roster full of first-year players and underclassmen, she praised the coaching duo of Chad and Rebecca Lucy for adapting their training approach to set the team up for success.
Fernandez’s final strike was an impressive long-range shot from outside the box in the closing three minutes.
On the other side of the pitch, the Vilseck girls have spent the season dealing with similar circumstances of having a new and young squad.
“We have a lot of young players, many of whom haven’t played much soccer,” Falcons coach John Switala said. With the season nearing its end, he emphasized that first touches, ball control, and making positive passes are what will help the squad moving forward.
Iveta Stefancinova, captain of SHAPE's girls team, goes up against Vilseck's defense in a 3-0 shutout in Vilseck, Germany on May 3, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Iveta Stefancinova, captain of SHAPE's girls team, makes a shot on goal during a matchup against the Falcons in Vilseck, Germany on May 3, 2025. Stefancinova scored two out of the team's three goals in Saturday's game. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Boys
SHAPE 6, Vilseck 0: The Spartans wasted no time asserting their dominance.
SHAPE launched a relentless offense, firing shot after shot into the Falcons’ net and closing the first half with a commanding 5-0 lead.
After making some substitutions at halftime, the Falcons came back with renewed focus and tightened their defense.
Despite the pressure, SHAPE managed to slip in one final goal.
An early corner kick gave Spartans co-captain Andrea Bosone the perfect opportunity to show why he wears the armband. Rising above the defense, the veteran defender met a well-placed ball with a powerful header, scoring the opening goal.
Riding the momentum, the Spartans quickly followed up with four more well-placed goals, overwhelming the Falcons’ defense.
“Having [a 5-0 lead] at the half was what we wanted,” SHAPE coach Erika Aquino said about the boys’ performance. “We have a lot of able players. They’re very talented players, so the speed really should not be an issue.”
The Falcons played the Spartans much more evenly in the second half.
“They’re learning to work as a team much more effectively,” Vilseck coach Mary Corrigan said.
She said the team has spent the season trying to find a winning formula and the second half Saturday showed the Falcons can successfully adjust during a match.
Falcons senior Dominic Susil said he’s looking ahead with excitement to the upcoming European Championships later this month.
“I don’t think our team is a (regular) season team. I think we’re a playoff team,” Susil said.
The SHAPE Spartans score against the Vilseck Falcons in a dominating first half performance which ended in a 6-0 victory in Vilseck, Germany on May 3, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
SHAPE's Adrian Marugal goes up against two defenders from the Vilseck Falcons in a 6-0 victory for the Spartans in Vilseck, Germany on May 3, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Andrea Bosone, co-captain of SHAPE's boys team, celebrates his opening goal in a matchup against Vilseck in Germany on May 3, 2025. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
