JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Senior midfielder Lara Hallgrimsdottir leads a midfield unit that coach Simon Duffy described as an "exciting group" heading into the 2019 campaign.

Hallgrimsdottir (Kopavogur, Iceland) earned a preseason All-Conference Second-Team nod after racking up 1126 minutes across 18 contests for the Eagles. She scored one goal and four assists in her junior season while also serving as a corner specialist for C-N, crossing the ball into the box 36 times.

Juniors Kristina Markfort (Munster, Germany) and Madison Huffstetler (Maryville, Tenn.) will also patrol the middle of the pitch alongside Hallgrimsdottir. Collectively, the trio accounted for 13 points last year, helping to aid the offense with a combined seven assists.

Where the midfield will need to strive in order for C-N to win another regular-season championship is acting as the first line of defense toward an opposition's push into the Eagles' defensive third.

"We're definitely an attack-minded team, and we have to be understanding that teams playing the counter attack that we're susceptible to that," Duffy said.

Newcomers such as Katie Koumiss (Galatin, Tenn.), Addie Henry (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Alondra Gonzalez (Talbott, Tenn.) and Chiara Michieletto (Como, Italy) will all serve as crucial depth for the returning veterans.

Koumiss was named an All-County First-Team honoree as well as an All-Conference First-Team selection from for Station Camp High School. She was named to the All-Region First-Team in her senior year and helped lead the Bison to several district championship appearances.

Henry, who arrives from Chattanooga Christian, was a three-sport athlete in high school splitting time between soccer, basketball and tennis. Henry notched a whopping 65 goals and 46 assists in her four years of high school play earning All-State honors her junior and senior seasons as well as All-District and All-Region all four years.

Henry's team won the region championship four years in a row and finished as state runner-up three different times. The Chargers also collected three district titles in her time.

Local product Gonzalez played her high school soccer at Morristown-Hamblen High School West, while Michieletto arrives from Italy.

All midfielders have focused on playing the transition game from the offensive third of the field to the defensive side of the ball, with coach Duffy wanting his players to be pragmatic while making sound decisions that don't lead to turnovers.

"The way we play, there's a lot of position change," Duffy said. "Players have to be comfortable playing in many different roles within that midfield, especially when we're in attack, defense or in that transition phase in between. It's been vital and I think it will continue to help our new players that have come in to improve."

All of the midfielders will be sure to see some playing time, with the season beginning Sept. 5 in an away match against Bellarmine.