National champs join Kingston FC women

The Kingston FC women’s team has added nine players from the Queen’s two-time national champion women’s soccer team. The club, which competes in the Ontario Women’s Soccer League (OWSL), has 11 current or former Gaels on the roster this season.

Gaels strikers and OUA all-stars Kellie Chamberlain and Jackie Tessier have returned to the team this summer. Kingston FC has also welcomed OUA player of the year Riley Filion, who leads the team in scoring.

Queen’s goalkeepers Sabrina Carew and Chantal Marson, midfielders Chantal McFetridge, Julia Cory and Heather Ridgway and defender Mikyla Kay form the other new additions. Former Gaels Sarah Buckham and Shannon Hyslop are also members of Kingston FC.

The additions promised a significant boost for the club, who finished third in the WSL’s Eastern Division last year, losing in the first round of the playoffs. Despite the influx of national champions on the team, they’ve had a mediocre start in season play, with a record of 1-2-1.

The team has started stronger, in League Cup play. Kingston FC secured two victories and a draw in the first cup tournament, held in Bolton in early June.

“We’ve really started to gel as a team,” said Gaels midfielder Riley Filion. “It’s easy to play well when you’ve been playing with most of these girls for a while.”

The Kingston FC of the OWSL isn’t affiliated with the men’s team of the same name.

—­ Jordan Cathcart

Aprile returning to Queen’s

After a brief stint in the CFL, Giovanni Aprile is returning to the Gaels. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers released Aprile on June 21 upon his own request.

Drafted 16th overall by Winnipeg on May 3, Aprile recorded three tackles in two preseason games before deciding to come back to Queen’s.

“[The Bombers] were kind of disappointed, but were behind me finishing school,” Aprile said.

A potential long-term solution at safety for the Bombers, Aprile was unlikely to see playing time outside of special teams this season.

With one year of CIS eligibility remaining, he’ll return to a Gaels squad whose core remains mostly intact.

After finishing 6-2 in 2011, Queen’s was eliminated in the OUA semifinals by McMaster, the eventual Vanier Cup champion.

“We’ve come together a lot as a team,” Aprile said. “There’s great experience with our starters, and we’re hoping to go a long way this season.”

—­ Josh Burton