Vicenza senior Maya Fitch hits the ball against American Overseas School of Rome's Gabby Makinwa, left, and Gloria Rose Olivieri during a Division II semifinal match at the DODEA European volleyball championships on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Kaiserslautern and Wiesbaden punched their tickets to the Division I finals in two thrilling, four-set semifinal victories Friday night at the DODEA-Europe volleyball championships.

The No. 1 seed Raiders took down No. 3 Ramstein 25-19, 19-25, 25-22, 25-19, avenging their three-set loss to the Royals in pool play Thursday and giving them a shot at their first girls’ volleyball title since 1998, the last time they won it all, according to Kaiserslautern coach Zachary Robinson.

But standing in the way of finally hoisting a new championship banner in Kaiserslautern’s gymnasium is Wiesbaden, which disposed of No. 2 seed Stuttgart, 16-25, 25-20, 25-18, 28-26.

“It was a tough game,” Wiesbaden coach Tariq Zangana said. “We knew coming in, it’s Euros, everyone’s going to come out fighting, everyone’s going to come out wanting to win. We just had fun and we played.”

The semifinal games were played side-by-side at Ramstein’s Southside Fitness Center, the tight matches electrifying the crowds whose cheers were deafening at times.

Stuttgart, which beat Lakenheath, SHAPE and Ramstein earlier in the day, almost pushed Wiesbaden to a fifth and deciding set. During the fourth set, the score was tied at least nine times. But each time Stuttgart pulled ahead, Wiesbaden roared right back.

With the score tied at 26, the Warriors’ Nicole Suh scored a kill from the net and Wiesbaden went up 27-26. Senior outside hitter Bridget Pidgeon, who was outstanding throughout the tournament, sealed the win with an ace.

“Wiesbaden played amazing,” Stuttgart coach Bethany Trimble said. “Serve and pass for Wiesbaden down the stretch, they just outplayed us.”

Trimble led the Panthers to a title during her first year coaching in 2021, before the Warriors won the championship two years in a row.

“As a coach, I would much rather have my kids push as hard as they can and just get beat, and that’s just what happened,” Trimble said. “Everything my hitters were throwing back over at them, they were just picking right back up, and that’s frustrating after a while, when you keep trying to mix your shots and do something different, and everything you’re sending back over just gets sent right back.”

The Raiders last played in the title match in 2022, when they fell to Wiesbaden in four sets. Getting past their crosstown rivals to reach the finals was particularly satisfying, junior middle blocker Rozlynn Onnen said.

“This is probably one of the best things that’s ever happened for K-town,” she said. “Beating Ramstein after we lost to them in the tournament is amazing.”

Onnen had 10 kills for the Raiders, while Briana Shields had 11 kills, and Kez Kai had nine kills.

In the fourth set, the Royals fell behind early, at one point trailing 11-3. But some strong serving by freshman Noelle Murphy and sophomore Ella Yost, helped Ramstein close the gap. But a Shields ace that would have made the score 24-20 was negated when Ramstein was called for its players being out of rotation, giving Kaiserslautern the match.

Wiesbaden’s Briahna Arroyo guards the net during semifinal play on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, against Stuttgart at the DODEA-Europe volleyball tournament at the Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Wiesbaden won in four sets and will face Kaiserslautern in the finals. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Strip)

Kaiserslautern beat Ramstein in four sets during the semifinals at the DODEA-Europe volleyball tournament on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Kaiserslautern will try to win its first title in girls’ volleyball since 1998. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Strip)

Division II

Black Forest Academy and Vicenza seem like the unlikeliest of friends, given the nearly 342 miles between the town of Kandern in the southwest corner of Germany and the northeastern Italian city.

Yet they know each other well – and not just on the court. Before meeting during the regular season this year, Falcon coach Kim McKell was a mentor at the Vicenza summer volleyball camp and brought many players with her.

After both teams won their semifinals on Friday in the Division II competition of the DODEA European volleyball championships at Ramstein High School, the duo will meet as foes in Saturday’s final at Southside Fitness Center.

“They’re a hustling team,” Kohut said of BFA. “They’re going to put the ball on the floor and keep it going.”

The Cougars punched their ticket with a 28-26, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21 victory over top seed American Overseas School of Rome.

Maya Fitch led the way with 12 kills and 13 digs. Avonlea Sparling added 11 kills, freshman setter Emily Bell amassed 30 assists and Nala Herron had 17 digs.

The Falcons, meanwhile, advanced past a strong Bahrain side 25-23, 19-25, 25-20, 25-18. BFA trailed 22-20 in the first set before going on a 5-1 run, and they faced a six-point deficit midway through the third set before rallying once again.

McKell praised Bahrain, which was powered by the combination of setter Janessa Brown and right-side hitter Jayda Miller, for pushing her team until the end.

“Drive, unity, love, grit – those are the four pillars that we live by,” McKell said. “We knew we needed to show up for tonight’s game … and we came back against a really good Bahrain team.

“We knew going in, having scouted them, that it wasn’t going to be easy.”

Bahrain freshman Ruby Williams goes for a block against Black Forest Academy's Mischa Robinson during a Division II semifinal match at the DODEA European volleyball championships on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

American Overseas School of Rome libero Rhyanna Rispoli hits the ball during a Division II semifinal match against Vicenza at the DODEA European volleyball championships on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Black Forest Academy sophomore Priscilla Sivonen bumps the ball during a Division II semifinal match against Bahrain at the DODEA European volleyball championships on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Bahrain senior Jayda Miller prepares to slam the ball while Black Forest Academy's Priscilla Sivonen jumps to block during a Division II semifinal match at the DODEA European volleyball championships on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Black Forest Academy junior outside Olivia Wilson jumps to spike the ball during a Division II semifinal match against Bahrain at the DODEA European volleyball championships on Nov. 1, 2024, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Division III

No. 2 Brussels held on to beat Alconbury after losing the first set, 21-25, 25-19, 25-14, 25-11 at Kaiserslautern High School.

The Brigands will get another crack at Ansbach, the two-time defending Division III champion, after faltering in four sets in the finals a year ago against the No. 1 Cougars.

Ansbach took care of business against Spangdahlem in its semifinal match, winning in straight sets, 25-21, 25-14, 25-9.

Junior Kennedy Lange said the Cougars settled down after a close first set, improving their passing throughout the game.

Leading the passing game for Ansbach was senior setter Natalie Ritter, who had 27 assists, to go along with nine aces.

Lange led the Cougars’ attack at the net, notching 17 kills, along with four aces and seven digs.

“The best thing we did today is we cheered our team on. We kept our energy high,” Lange said.

Brussels’ Sonia Desir tries to block a shot at the net during the Brigands’ semifinal game on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, against Alconbury at Kaiserslautern High School, Germany. Brussels beat Alconbury in four sets and get to face Ansbach on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s championship game in the DODEA-Europe volleyball tournament. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

Ansbach’s Bailey Eickmeyer goes up for the ball during the Cougars' semifinal game on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, against Spangdahlem at Kaiserslautern High School, Germany. Ansbach beat Spangdahlem in three sets to face Brussels on Saturday in the finals. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

Boys

There weren’t many upsets on the first two days of the DODEA-Europe Boys Volleyball Championships in Vicenza, Italy, with the result of the four highest seeds all advancing to Saturday morning’s semifinals.

No. 1 Naples and No. 2 Aviano booked their spots by finishing unbeaten in their pools Friday, while two-time defending champ Black Forest Academy and Ramstein had to get through quarterfinal matchups against American Overseas School of Rome and Bahrain respectively.

The Falcons from Germany downed the stubborn Falcons from Rome in three sets before the Royals moved into the semifinals in their first year of playing in the tournament.

The two winners square off at 4 p.m. for the title.