The Gibraltar Vikings closed out a season of significant growth Saturday night, finishing with 15 wins, a 10-win improvement from a year ago, despite falling to top-seeded NEW Lutheran in the WIAA Division 5 girls volleyball regional championship.

After recording just five victories in 2025, the Vikings tripled their win total this season and advanced to the regional final as the No. 5 seed.

Gibraltar faced a tough challenge against the Blazers, who used their speed and power to take the opening two sets 25-12 and 25-13 before closing out the match with a 25-19 victory in the third.

Aileen Torres and Azucena Jauregui led the Vikings with six kills apiece. Jauregui added nine digs and an ace, while Torres recorded an ace. Isla Fagundes contributed 12 assists, five digs, and an ace.

Despite the loss, head coach Lauren Ward emphasized the growth her team showed throughout the season.

"I'm incredibly proud of how far this team has come this season," Ward said. "In 2025, we registered only 5 match wins. This year, 15. That's some awesome growth, and I can't wait to see what they do next."

Ward also thanked the team's seniors for their contributions as Gibraltar closed out its 2026 campaign with 15 total victories, 10 more than the previous season.