Iveta Stefancinova scores her first goal May 18, 2026, during a pool play match between SHAPE and Wiesbaden at the DODEA-Europe Division I girls soccer championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Two schools have dominated the large-school bracket of the DODEA-Europe girls soccer championships in recent years: Ramstein and Stuttgart.
Trying to get past at least one of them to reach the championship match has been a challenge that most teams haven’t been able to meet.
SHAPE and Vilseck are trying to accomplish that feat this week during the DODEA Division I European soccer championships. And both got off to good starts Monday.
Iveta Stefancinova scored twice as the Spartans avenged their only loss of the season with a 2-0 victory over Wiesbaden to open the day’s play at Kaiserslautern High School. The Falcons followed with a 2-1 victory over Lakenheath.
The Division I tournament’s third and fourth seeds are favored to reach Wednesday’s semifinals, where they’ll likely face the Royals and Panthers, who combined to win 18-0 in the final three matches of the day.
“If you watch them play, they each have 11 skilled players on the field,” Vilseck coach John Switala said of facing Ramstein or Stuttgart. So finding a weakness to take advantage of won’t that easy.
Still, it’s not like the Spartans and Falcons are lacking some strengths of their own.
Stefancinova, a senior from eastern Slovakia, is an obvious one. The team’s leading scorer was marked by the Warriors – who defeated the Spartans 4-2 during the regular season – as a threat.
But trying to keep the ball away from her talented feet is not an easy task. And trying to get it away once it gets there is a harder one.
Wiesbaden did manage to keep the game scoreless through a half. Stefancinova broke the tie in the second half, though, by following the ball towards the goal.
“The ball went through the defense and I found it in space,” Stefancinova said of her first goal. “And I just kicked it in.”
Her second goal hit the crossbar and bounced in.
“She’s exceptional,” SHAPE coach Chad Lucy said.
But he also praised the work of the Spartans’ defense, which shut out the Warriors after giving them four goals earlier in the season.
“That’s what keeps us in games,” Lucy said.
The Falcons can play some defense of their own. Vilseck led Lakenheath 1-0 after a half. Freshman Elin Broughton took a pass from sophomore Alex Cornell and converted it.
But just when it was looking that score might hold up, the two teams were tied in up what resembled a rugby scrum in front of the Vilseck net. And when the ball bounced out, Leila Olmos booted it in to tie the score.
The Lancers managed to dodge a similar play in front of their net just minutes later. But seconds later, they gave up the winning goal when Ilanah Smith’s kick bounced off the keeper’s hands and rolled over the goal line before a trio of players trying to chase it down could get to it.
SHAPE faces Ramstein on Tuesday morning with semifinal seeding on the line. Both teams are already in. Vilseck has a tougher challenge and needs a win over either Kaiserslautern or Stuttgart to advance.
Ramstein defeated Wiesbaden 5-0 in its only game of the day after Stuttgart handled Kaiserslautern 6-0. Sienna Ingle scored twice for Stuttgart, Alex Lyles had a goal and an assist and Regan Stewart, Brie Hightower and Eden Luce also found the net. The Panthers defeated Lakenheath 7-0 in the day’s final match.
Wiesbaden's Mariana Riley tries to get the ball away before SHAPE's Irene Monge can get to her during the two teams' pool play match Monday, May 18, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I girls soccer championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath's Leila Olmos stretches to kick the ball while Vilseck's Ilanah Smith chases Monday, May 18, 2026, during a pool play match at the DODEA-Europe Division I girls soccer championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Vilseck's Ana Switala sends a free kick towad the Lakenheath goal Monday, May 18, 2026, during a pool play match at the DODEA-Europe Division I girls soccer championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart's Regan Stewart runs past the ball as Kaiserslautern's Kaelin Cahill tries to get to it Monday, May 19, 2026, during the DODEA-Europe Division I girls soccer championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern goalkeeper Sofiana Pope makes the save as players from both teams watch the ball in a pool play match between the Raiders and Stuttgart at the DODEA-Europe Division I girls soccer championships in Kaiserslautern, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
With a regular-season record of 2-4, Kaiserslautern wasn’t considered a strong contender entering play Monday.
Someone forgot to tell the Raiders. They drew 0-0 with third-seeded Ramstein, then gave top seed SHAPE all it wanted before losing 3-2. If the Spartans defeat the Royals by at least two goals Tuesday, the Raiders will advance. Otherwise, Ramstein likely moves on.
SHAPE’s Marten Muurisepp opened the scoring early in the first half when the ball bounced backwards off a defender and not from in front of him. He booted it past oncoming Raider goalkeeper Finn Derby.
Pavlos Madentizidis then met a nice crossing pass from Antonio Evangelista with his head and it was 2-0.
“Two to zero is the worse score you can have,” Spartans coach Erika Aquino said, reflecting on the game later.
She said that a combination of substitutions and an apparent feeling by the Spartans that the game was over was almost her team’s undoing.
Kaiserslautern cut the deficit to 2-1 on Wesley Manson’s goal and then appeared to take control of the contest with several strong attacks. Meanwhile, Derby blocked a series of shots.
Madentizidis took advantage of a Raider lapse to make it 3-1, though. That made Josh Otto’s penalty kick just before the final whistle a bit too little too late.
The goal might matter with goal differential, though. And it came as a result of Spartan keeper Peter Sudimak receiving a red card when he collided with Manson late in the game. Because of the red card, Sudimak will miss Tuesday’s clash with Ramstein.
Stuttgart moved closer to a semifinal spot in the other pool with convincing 5-0 victories over Vilseck and Lakenheath.
Cristian Ingle had two goals in the first match and was one of five different players to score in the second.
He said the Panthers don’t care who kicks it into the net. As long as it’s someone wearing his school’s colors.
“We’re one team. We play together. Everyone scores,” Ingle said.
Stuttgart assistant coach Chris Kelly said his team is looking for more than just a victory Tuesday when it finishes up pool play against Wiesbaden.
“One of the things you want to do in pool play is to keep all your pieces in play,” he said. “So, no cards, no injuries … you want all you’ve got for the final days.”
Stuttgart's Christian Groves tries to maintain possession of the ball as Lakenheath's Gabriel Blanke presses him Monday, May 18, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I boys soccer championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath goalkeeper Matthew Vasquez dives to his right as Stuttgart's Cristian Ingle kicks the other way during a penalty kick Monday, May 18, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I boys soccer championships at Ramstein Air Base,Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
SHAPE's Marten Muuisepp boots the ball past Kaiserslautern goalkeeper Finn Derby Monday, May 18, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I boys soccer championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
SHAPE's Owen Aquino gets away from a pair of Kaiserslautern defenders and races up the sidelines Monday, May 18, 2026, at the DODEA-Europe Division I boys soccer championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
