Alconbury’s Ian Barbour comes across the pitch to stop Ansbach’s Chris Roman in the Division III boys title match at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. Despite his efforts, the Dragons fell to the Cougars 1-0. At right is Daeveon Brown. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Chris Roman had a lot going through his brain as he stepped up to penalty spot in the 79th minute of the Division III boys final at the 2025 DODEA European soccer championships.

The Ansbach sophomore won the penalty after an Alconbury defender sent him tumbling in the box. Roman decided to take the penalty he earned.

“‘What if I miss this?’” Roman said of what was going through his mind. “This was the amount of pressure that went into it.”

The worst-case scenario didn’t come to fruition. The central attacking midfielder buried the kick past Dragon goalkeeper Manuel Minjarez’s outstretched mitts into the lower left corner of the net to give the Cougars the European crown 1-0.

That goal exorcised the team’s demons. Ansbach (7-3-2) made it to the title match the last two seasons, only to fall to Sigonella in 2023 and AFNORTH in 2024. Even the players who didn’t participate in one or both of those runner-up teams were motivated by them.

“I just remember watching them (two years ago) thinking, ‘Man, I’m going to play on that field,’” Ansbach sophomore goalkeeper Jack Lovallo said. “Last year, that lost to AFNORTH really hurt deep.

“The seniors, everyone, I’m just so happy that they finally got their dream.”

Roman himself missed those losses firsthand. An eight-grader in 2023, the midfielder tore his ACL in 2024.

That injury made the penalty goal to clinch the European crown even sweeter.

“Sometimes, even in my mind, I thought maybe I’d never play again,” Roman said. “But I did the recovery, and I’m happy that I’m here today.”

Alconbury’s Keiran Daley gets off a shot against Ansbach’s Sam Hanson, left, and Donovan Howard in the Division III boys final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. Ansbach took the title with a 1-0 win. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Ansbach keeper Jack Lovello goes high to pull in a ball against Alconbury in the Division III boys final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. The Cougars beat the Dragons 1-0 to capture the D-III crown. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Ansbach’s Brodie Kohrs takes a shot as Alconbury’s Leonides Politis tries to block in the Division III boys final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025, won by Ansbach 1-0. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Ansbach’s Chris Roman converts a penalty to give the Cougars a 1-0 win over Alconbury in the boys Division III final at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

The Ansbach Cougars celebrate their boys Division III title after beating Alconbury 1-0 at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Ansbach’s Daeveon Brown takes a shot on goal against Alconbury’s Ian Barbour, left, and Taye Vickerstaff in the Cougars’ 1-0 win over Alconbury in the Division III boys title game at the DODEA-Europe soccer championships in Ramstein, Germany, May 22, 2025. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

The match was close throughout, with both teams having their chances.

Lucas Rudy tested Minjarez in the 26th minute, with the Colorado Springs, Colo., native stretching out to make the save.

Alconbury (10-1-1) had numerous chances itself that either went wide or were blocked by Lovallo. In one of the Dragons’ best opportunities, defender Taye Vickerstaff in the 38th minute launched a free kick long, while Keiran Daley looped around the left side of the defense to get on the ball.

Lovallo was up to the task and made the save.

These moments created a tense atmosphere, especially as the match remained scoreless later into the match.

“I knew whoever scored first, it was over; that was it,” Ansbach coach Tracey Robertson said. “It seemed like they were so many opportunities we missed, but I knew we were right on the edge.

“We just kept at it until that opportunity was there.”

That chance may not have had the same impact if not for the Herculean effort of Lovallo. His coach called him as a “superhero” following his seven-save performance.

No play encapsuled that description more than in the 73rd minute. Lovallo made a key save against Alconbury’s Leo Politis and then beat the senior attacking midfielder to the rebound to keep the match scoreless.

“You don’t train up to the level of play – you fall down to your level of training,” said Lovallo, who was named the tournament MVP. “I just played like I trained, and I think it shows.”

The loss was a tough pill for the Dragons to swallow, according to coach Leslie Atkins-Hash – and not just because it was their first loss of the season.

She said her team played well enough to win, but Alconbury couldn’t put the ball into the back of the net.

Still, she said the result won’t take away the team’s accomplishments this campaign, which included making it a step further than last year while playing as a coed team in a boys division.

“My heart is broken because second place feel worse than third place,” Atkins-Hash said. “Third place, you win that last game, and it feels good. Second place, you lose that last game and it hurts – for a minute, until you put it all together and realize, ‘Look at what we did.’”

Atkins-Hash and the Dragons have a bit of a rebuild on their hands, as they lose 10 seniors to graduation. The good news for them is leading scorer Daley will be back for his senior year.

The Cougars, meanwhile, could be a favorite to run it back.

Sure, they are losing four seniors like Daeveon Browne, Brodie Kohrs, Bobby Lovallo and Tate Wollenzien. But most of the starting lineup will be back and be complemented by a new batch of young players.

“The other night, we were looking at the roster we’re going to have next year, we’re on fire,” Robertson said. “I think the future is really bright.”