Ramstein keeper Bailey Bennett comes out to try to stop a shot by Stuttgart’s Meredith Fleming in the Division I girls final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. Ramstein beat Stuttgart for the title 3-1. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – The Stuttgart Panthers struck first in the Division I girls soccer finals on Thursday, but their early goal only seemed to ignite their opponents from Ramstein.
From the opening whistle, the Panthers and Royals launched into an aggressive, fast-paced match — a fitting continuation of their rivalry, having met in the finals for the fourth consecutive year.
The rivals traded blows early in the first half, but it was a sharp cross from the Panthers’ right-wing striker to sophomore forward Sienna Ingle that found the back of the Royals’ net, giving Stuttgart the early edge over the defending champions.
But the Panthers’ lead was short-lived.
“We have this saying … ‘minor setbacks, major comebacks,’” Royals junior Audrey Singer said. The motto seemed to ring as a testament to the team’s positive mindset despite an early deficit.
Singer played a key role in breaking through the Panthers’ defensive line.
Working in tandem with senior striker Claire Boynton, the duo applied relentless pressure, stringing together sharp passes that energized the Royals and helped them seize control of the match.
That pressure paid off when Singer slipped a precise pass to Boynton, who buried the Royals’ first goal to even the score.
The crowd was electric as breakaways found both Panthers and Royals’ offensive players getting the ball over the heads of opposing defenses only to be stumped by crossbars and great saves from opposing teams’ goalies.
Stuttgart’s Sienna Ingle volleys the ball into the net for Stuttgart’s lone goal in the Panthers 3-1 loss against Ramstein in the girls Division I final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein’s Isabella Donkin, left, and Stuttgart’s Brielle Aplanalp fight for the ball along the sideline in the girls Division I title game at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. The Royals won 3-1. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Sienna Ingle centers the ball in front of a defending Nailya McLeish at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. Ramstein won the Division I title game 3-1. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein’s Audrey Singer tries to get past Stuttgart’s Brya Henry in the Division I girls final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. The Royals beat the Panthers 3-1 to take the division crown. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
The Ramstein Royals celebrate their 3-1 win over Stuttgart in the Division I girls final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein’s Ava Smith boots the ball past Stuttgart’s Jedaiah Quindland and into the goal for the Royals last goal in their 3-1 win over the Panthers in the Division I title game at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart sophomore Madeline Fleming stepped up for the Panthers, delivering a series of crosses and chips that consistently challenged the Royals’ defense and kept them on their heels.
However, Royals sophomore goalkeeper Bailey Bennett – who Singer aptly dubbed the “Great Wall of Bailey” – treated the Panthers’ opening goal as a personal challenge, preventing these well-placed efforts.
Royals’ head coach Frances Watson expressed how consistently vital Bennett is to the team’s success, stating the squad has trust in the keeper’s ability to work well in the box under pressure.
Bennett responded with a series of saves paramount to keeping Ramstein in the game, instilling confidence in the players and fueling their drive to push the ball forward.
The 1-1 deadlock held deep into the first half, until a soaring corner kick from Royals sophomore Ava Smith forced Panthers goalkeeper Sophia Sirad to punch it away — only for the ball to land back at Smith’s feet just outside the 18-yard box.
Smith then fired a powerful shot past Sirad, giving the Royals a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
“For me, we were just undefeated. That was just my mindset,” Smith said. “I was like, ‘we beat them before we can do it again.’”
Though the Royals held a one-goal lead, the match remained wide open, especially as the second half kicked off.
Panthers team captain Evangeline Eaton was a commanding presence on the field, seamlessly shifting between offense and defense.
Her efforts pushed the Royals back into their own territory and disrupted several attempts to extend their lead well into the second half.
Just as the match seemed destined for a narrow finish, Ava Smith reignited the momentum by breaking through the Panthers’ defense, outrunning standout sweeper Jedaiah Quinland, and launching a high shot into the top-left corner of the net — securing the Royals’ third and final goal of the game.
As the final whistle blew, the Royals’ bench erupted, storming the pitch to celebrate their third consecutive championship victory over the Panthers — keeping the crown on home turf for yet another year.
“The big thing that I love about our athletes is their resiliency; their ability to be steely under pressure,” Watson said. “I just couldn’t be more proud.”
