Ramstein hitter Devinity Taylor spikes the ball against Lakenheath’s Haedyn Hicks during a semifinal match at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – The Ramstein Royals hadn’t been tested much heading the semifinals of the 2026 DODEA Division I European girls volleyball championships.
Lakenheath changed that Friday evening.
The Lancers handed the Royals their first set loss and pushed the tournament’s top seed until the end in Ramstein’s 25-17, 18-25, 25-8, 25-22 victory.
Ramstein junior Aurora Lewis said Lakenheath’s performance made the victory even sweeter.
“It made winning this feel better, that it wasn’t just handed to us,” Lewis said.
After losing the second set, coach Kandel Baxter lit a fire under her squad. According to junior libero Noelle Murphy, she challenged her squad to bounce back.
The Royals did a little more than bounce back. They jumped out to a 12-2 lead and never looked back.
“Our coach kind of got into our head and was like, ‘Y’all need to lock in,’” Murphy said. “She knew that we could do it.”
Lakenheath didn’t quit after that, though, and held a 21-18 lead in the fourth set with the eyes on forcing a match-deciding fifth set. Ramstein finished the set on a 7-1 run, capped off by an Ella Yost ace.
Lewis said it doesn’t take much to spark the Royals, and that was the case in the fourth set.
“The littlest things turn it around,” Lewis said. “One quick kill, and the energy’s back up. One good block, and that could shift everything.”
One thing was certain: The Lancers earned the Royals’ respect.
Lakenheath coach Matt Hill said the difference between this year and last was stark, and that culminated in Friday’s performance.
“They just needed some purpose, and they got it,” Hill said. “It means the world to me that they fought until the end, and they made it close and they made them fight for it. It was more than Ramstein expected.”
Ramstein libero Noelle Murphy bumps a ball during a semifinal match against Lakenheath at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Ella Yost watches in the background. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein middle blocker Aurora Lewis dinks the ball over Lakenheath’s Paityn Weissinger during a semifinal at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath right-side hitter Aminah Nix spikes the ball against Ramstein’s Emalie Edwards during a semifinal at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Lakenheath senior Haedyn Hicks sets the ball as teammate Paityn Weissinger prepares to jump for it during a semifinal against Ramstein at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
In the other semifinal, Stuttgart swept Vilseck 25-18, 25-16, 25-16 to punch its ticket into Saturday afternoon’s title match.
After dropping multiple sets during round-robin action, the Panthers seemed to flip a switch once they entered the semifinal round.
“It was a long two days, and I felt like we came with the energy,” Stuttgart coach Chris Kelly said. “We used that energy to ride that wave to the victory.”
Junior outside hitter Brooklyn Biles said the performance was one of Stuttgart’s best this campaign.
“We could have cleaned up a few things, but honestly, we played together as a team and had fun, and that’s the most important thing,” Biles said.
While the semifinal round didn’t go the way Vilseck had hoped, Falcon coach Brian Swenty said his team exceeded expectations just by making it that far into the tournament.
That happened by taking all six sets in their final two matches of pool play against Wiesbaden and SHAPE.
“I know the girls are a little sad about losing the semifinal, but we really weren’t expected to be here,” Swenty said. “To even be playing in that game was a testament to our resiliency and our ability to bounce back.”
Lakenheath middle blocker Paityn Weissinger serves during a semifinal against Ramstein at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Louisa Schudel, left, and Peyton Mannin jump at the net during a semifinal against Vilseck at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Brooklyn Biles hits the ball during a semifinal against Vilseck at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart libero Kennady Kapise serves during a semifinal against Vilseck at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)
Vilseck’s Katelynn McMillan sets the ball during a semifinal against Stuttgart at the 2026 DODEA European girls volleyball championships on Oct. 30, 2026, at Ramstein High School on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)