Moon Township, Pa. – For the ninth consecutive year, the Robert Morris University women's lacrosse team will host the Colonial Classic Hope for the Cure 7 v 7 tournament to close its fall season.

The event, which benefits Huntington's Disease research, will take place Sunday, Oct. 26 on RMU's Moon Township campus. Local high school, club and youth teams will compete in 35-minute running-clock games throughout the day, with each bracket culminating in a championship match.

Spots for teams and individual players are still open; visit the Three Rivers Lacrosse website at www.3RL.net for information on the tournament, including how to register.

"The Colonial Classic has become a fall tradition for a lot of local teams not only to get together for competition, but also to support a great cause," said RMU head coach Katy Phillips.

Thanks to the generosity of the regional lacrosse community over the past decade, the Colonials have raised over $25,000 for both A Glimmer of Hope (a Pittsburgh-area breast cancer research foundation) and the western Pennsylvania chapter of the Huntington's Disease Society of America.

The latter has been the beneficiary of the Colonial Classic since Phillips' late mother Marian was diagnosed with Huntington's in 2007. The purpose of the Huntington's Disease Society of America is to help individuals affected by the neurological disorder and their families, as well as to support research aimed at discovering treatments and a possible cure.

"Since my mother's diagnosis, I have become passionate in increasing awareness of Huntington's Disease," Phillips said. "I am so thankful to have the support of the local lacrosse community and RMU in helping us achieve this goal."

Huntington's Disease afflicts about one out of every 10,000 people in the United States. It is an inherited, progressively degenerative brain disorder that causes symptoms such as involuntary movements of the body and personality changes. After a period of time, the ability to think, speak and walk is greatly diminished. Each child of someone diagnosed with HD has a 50-50 chance of inheriting the gene.



In addition to a full day of competitive lacrosse on Oct. 26, prize baskets featuring spectacular sports memorabilia will be available for bidding. Also, for a nominal fee, players will have the opportunity to get numbers applied to apparel via a heat press.

The Colonial Classic caps a busy weekend for RMU women's lacrosse. On Saturday, Oct. 25, the Colonials will host their final Fall Clinic Day and also challenge city rival Duquesne in a regulation match at Joe Walton Stadium. First draw is set for noon.

Now entering its second decade of D-I women's lacrosse, RMU went 11-6 in the 2014 season, advancing to the Northeast Conference (NEC) tournament for the second time in four years.

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