Stuttgart striker Leeba Curlin shoots as Kaiserslautern defender Jedaiah Quinland sticks out a leg to try to block it during a semifinal match at the DODEA Division I European championships May 22, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – The Stuttgart Panthers remember quite clearly the tongue-lashing they received from coach John Bowman after their regular-season loss to Ramstein.

Considering their date with the Royals in the DODEA Division I European championship match at Ramstein High School on Thursday, the Panthers will try to make sure that won’t be repeated.

Stuttgart earned that rematch with a 6-2 semifinal victory over Kaiserslautern on Wednesday morning. The Panthers (11-1) jumped out to early two-goal lead against the Raiders (3-6-2) and never looked back.

“We got a chewing out for that (loss to Ramstein) by our coach,” said Stuttgart junior captain Eva Eaton, who scored twice in Wednesday’s victory. “We want to get back at them.

“We’re going to fight as hard as we can and going to try and defeat Ramstein.”

On Wednesday against Kaiserslautern, Stuttgart enjoyed a 4-1 lead at halftime. Joining Eaton on the scoresheet were senior striker Leeba Curlin with a shot from the edge of the box in the 10th minute, sophomore midfielder Regan Stewart after dribbling through the Raider defense in the box in the 28th minute and an own goal right before halftime.

After a goal from Kaiserslautern midfielder Georgia Rawcliffe in the 69th minute, things got a little tense for the Panthers. Four minutes from the final whistle, though, freshman Sienna Ingle pounced on a ball after a spilled free kick left the ball bouncing in front of net to restore the three-goal advantage, and Eaton converted a penalty a minute later to seal the win.

Stuttgart junior Jamilah Ali dribbles along the left wing as Kaiserslautern defenders Jedaiah Quinland, left, and Ava Gin chase during a semifinal match at the DODEA Division I European championships May 22, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Kaiserslautern goalkeeper Rihanna Martin goes to claim a corner kick while Stuttgart striker Leeba Curlin is held by Raider defender Georgia Rawcliffe during a semifinal match at the DODEA Division I European championships May 22, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Kaiserslautern forward Sydney Hodge looks up after getting past Stuttgart defender Sophia Cloud during a semifinal match at the DODEA Division I European championships May 22, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Kaiserslautern forward Kristine Svendsen and Stuttgart defender Serenity Brown tossle for the ball during a semifinal match at the DODEA Division I European championships May 22, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Ramstein (11-1), meanwhile, punched its ticket with a 7-0 mercy-rule win over Wiesbaden in the other semifinal.

Junior striker Claire Boynton recorded two goals and an assist and freshman winger Audrey Singer chipped in with a goal and two assists. Also contributing were senior winger Isabel Fischer with two goals, junior captain Abigail Belote with two goals, junior midfielder Kyndra Brown with two assists and sophomore midfielder Olivia Davis with an assist.

For Ramstein coach Jonathan Bocanegra, meeting Stuttgart in the final seems like destiny after the teams shared a title in 2022 and Stuttgart earned one in 2023.

“It’s been a couple years,” Bocanegra said. “I know they won last year, so the girls are looking to knock them off and finally get (a title) of their own.”

As much as the distant history between Ramstein and Stuttgart will play a role, so, too, will the most recent contest.

The meeting at Stuttgart on April 26 ended in a 7-4 thriller in favor of the Royals. Ramstein came back from an early 2-1 deficit by scoring five consecutive goals.

The Panthers learned a lot from that helter-skelter match, according to assistant coach Chris Kelly. It also provided motivation in practice to improve their weaknesses in anticipation of seeing the Royals in the tournament.

Combined with the rest many starters got against the Raiders on Wednesday, Stuttgart is hoping to surprise Ramstein on Thursday evening.

“They’re one of the best teams that we’ve seen all year and our only loss on the season,” Kelly said of Ramstein. “They put a light on some of the things we weren’t doing well, especially in that match.

“We’re hoping that practice has now paid off so when we see them in the final, we can give them a better game and hopefully it goes in our favor this time.”

The Royals, meanwhile, will be looking to recreate the success from the regular-season contest.

“They got to create their own tempo and control the game and shoot when there’s opportunities,” Bocanegra said of his team. “This is the last game, leave it all out there and see what happens.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday.