A returning champion and a newcomer to the title match will battle Saturday in the finals at the 2026 DODEA European Division I boys’ volleyball championships.

Stuttgart earned the chance to defend its 2025 title with a three-set sweep of Wiesbaden in the semifinals Friday night at Kaiserslautern High School, winning 25-18, 25-15, 25-14.

The Panthers will face SHAPE, making its first appearance in the finals after a hard-fought, 24-26, 25-16, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12 victory against Ramstein in the other semifinal match on Friday.

The Spartans took down the tournament’s top seed despite losing to the Royals in three straight sets earlier in the day.

And that’s par for the course for a SHAPE squad that’s vacillated this year between a serious title contender and a middle-of-the pack team. The Spartans finally punched a ticket to the finals in the program’s fourth year.

“For the whole year, it’s been a little bit of up and down,” coach Erika Aquino said. “We were kind of joking, the whole boys’ season was a ‘rock, paper, scissors,” she added, referring to the popular hand game. “You could win one, then lose one; nobody knew what was really happening.”

The semifinal match against Ramstein was also a seesaw of a battle, with three of the five sets determined by three points or less.

In the final, tiebreaking set, the Spartans jumped out to an 11-5 lead before the Royals started to claw their way out of the hole. Junior outside hitter Quentin Arbour landed an ace while juniors Reed Arnold and Ronald Wiate and senior James Yost denied several of SHAPE’s hard-hitting line drives with blocking at the net, pulling Ramstein to within two, 14-12.

But the Spartans finally landed a spike to fend off a Royal comeback and hold on for the match win.

SHAPE’s own ability to block, however, was key to the team’s success, Aquino said. “When we are not blocking, that is kryptonite,” she said. “And our blocks were strong. They got it together and they worked in the back to cover those deep (balls) and communication.”

The Spartans recorded 15 blocks, including a team high of six by Souleymane Dioubate.

For Ramstein, coach Rebecca Roa was proud of the fight her team put up until the final point.

“We came out confident and we came out strong,” she said. “I think SHAPE just turned it up” and outplayed the Royals.

Beating a powerhouse and rival such as Ramstein “is such a cathartic moment,” senior Milosz Latala said, calling it “invigorating.”

The Panthers, who have only dropped two sets during the three-day tourney, including one to SHAPE, also looked energized throughout their match, playing with a palpable enthusiasm and joy enroute to dominating the Warriors.

“They have so much fun,” Stuttgart coach Nicole Andre said. “They like each other and they like volleyball.” The players “having fun on the court is part of our game,” she added.

Junior setter Josiah-Paul Sinco confirmed his coach’s observation. “Getting that kill or that dig … it just heightens the energy so much that we all are just laughing, smiling, yelling. We’re having a great time,” he said, adding “our team chemistry is perfect.”