Whitewater, Wis. -- On a night bigger than scores, the Warhawk gymnastics team shined the light on numerous causes in a meet dedicated to Kara Welsh. Battling through injury and illness throughout the week, the Warhawks came together to top Winona State 189.225-184.800 Saturday evening in Russell Arena. 

UW-Whitewater opened the meet on the vault. Sofia Spadafora (Windsor, Ontario, Canada/Saint Thomas of Villanova) paced the Warhawks with a 9.65 to claim silver in the event. Siena Vavala (Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada/King City Secondary School) tied for fourth with a 9.6. Maliyah Pound (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) (9.575), Danielle Dudziak (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele) (9.55) and Lilndsey Hollified (9.5) rounded out the scoring five. 

The Warhawks swept the top two on the uneven bars led Ariana Goodwin's (Elgin, Ill./The Einstein Academy) 9.6. Paige Magel (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge) posted a 9.55 for second followed by Elaine Copeland's (Arlington, Texas/University Prep) 9.4. Jane Heffernan (Galway, Ireland/Jesus & Mary Secondary School) tallied a 9.35 followed by a 9.275 from Gracie Talley (Collierville, Tenn./Briarcrest Christian). 

UWW picked up another gold on the balance beam. This time, Ashnaya Gupta (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) had the top score with a 9.625. Spadafora registered her second runner-up finish of the evening with a 9.575. Magel's 9.5 was good for fourth followed by a 9.425 from Tegan Haberstock (Alberta, Canada/National Sport School). Caroline Haynes (McLean, Va./Trinity Christian) rounded out the scoring five with a 8.95. 

UW-Whitewater capped the meet on the floor exercise led by Dudziak and Copeland with matching 9.475s. Magel posted a score of 9.425 followed by a 9.375 from Haberstock and a 9.35 by Pound. 

In addition to dedicating the meet to Kara Welsh, the Warhawks selected causes close to their hearts to help raise awareness, including mental health, ADHD, animal cruelty, alcoholism and substance abuse, brain cancer, breast cancer, stroke, Alzheimer's and dementia, domestic violence, heart disease, sepsis, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, childhood cancer, suicide prevention, and first responder awareness.

Those wishing to donate to Kara Welsh's Legacy Scholarship Fund can do so by visiting the link above.

The Warhawks return to Russell Arena next Saturday for a dual against the Blue Devils. UW-Whitewater will recognize the Warhawk Gymnastic Alumni during the meet that is slated for a 4 PM start.