Belmont field hockey midfielder AnnMarie Habelow turned and fired a pass from beyond the midfield line up the right side of the field. The through-ball landed perfectly on the hook of sophomore forward Morgan Chase 30 yards away, sparking one of Belmont’s many scoring chances in a 9-1 win over Stoneham Monday.

A split-second hesitation from Habelow, and the window would have closed.

The senior’s ability to see the field, anticipate the play, and create scoring chances is what drives the pace for the Marauders.

Belmont has built its team from the middle out, with Habelow running things in the midfield, and senior captain Julia Chase, Morgan’s older sister, playing middle defense.

“You want to put your two best players in the middle of the field, so that is why we have Julia and AnnMarie there,’’ said Belmont head coach Jessica Smith. “You want to make sure you have that part of the field protected.’’

Both Habelow (Louisville) and Chase (New Hampshire) have made verbal commitments to play at the Division 1 level next year.

The pace of the Marauders’ play runs through them.

“Julia is such a good defender that her job is more than just stopping the ball,’’ said Smith. “She is directing other people, and she is carrying the ball to help get the midfielders going quickly.’’

Usually, that means finding Habelow.

“Every time I have the ball, she is there for a pass, I am never stuck,’’ said Julia Chase. “If she is not open, that means that there is probably someone open on the outside.’’

Habelow was an All-Scholastic last season, scoring 22 goals and adding 11 assists. This past summer, she was named a Top 50 player in the class of 2017 by MAX Field Hockey; Louisville, her next planned stop, is currently the No. 8 team in the country.

She has thrived at being at the center of everything.

When she isn’t setting teammates up with breakout passes, she possesses a blur of a shot. On Monday, she scored one of her three goals from 25 yards out.

Belmont’s younger forwards, sophomore Jordan Lettiere and freshman Katie Guden, have learned to anticipate a hard pass from Habelow in front of the net. On Monday, Guden perfectly tipped an intentionally wide shot into the goal for her third score of the day.

“They are expecting the ball to be delivered to them, and because they are expecting it they are ready for it,’’ said Smith. “Ann­Marie has been pacing the ball so well. Sometimes, younger players can’t handle that hard of a shot.’’

Habelow has built a strong connection with the younger Chase on the right wing and with Guden and Lettiere in front of the net.

“We have really good communication for those long balls up the right side; we always connect,’’ said Habelow. “In front of the net, Katie and Jordan are fearless. Sometimes girls will back away from a shot in front. But they keep their sticks down and their eyes on the ball.’’

Over the past three seasons, Belmont has won 44 games, including 19 last year before losing to Acton-Boxborough, 3-0, in the Division 1 North semifinals. The Marauders’ success has been overshadowed by the success of surrounding programs like A-B, Needham, and neighboring Watertown, which currently holds the longest winning streak in the nation.

“I feel like over the years, we get closer and closer to them every time we play them,’’ said Julia Chase. “Each year stronger players come in, with Katie and my sister, it’s going to continue to get stronger.’’

Coming off back-to-back Division 1 state championships, Acton-Boxborough head coach Mae Shoemaker is relying on her midfield to stabilize a team that lost nine seniors and a lot of goals from last year’s undefeated team.

Leading that core of midfielders is senior captain Julia Neyland, senior Jacklyn Hickey, and junior Caitlin Little.

“Those are my three defensive midfielders that form a line across the back,’’ said Shoemaker. “We’ve got that core there that is working really well together. Now we just have to integrate some other players around them.’’

With numerous new faces on offense and also new defenders in the back, Shoemaker has given her midfielders more range to go up and down the field.

With so much ground to cover, communication is key.

“Me and Caitlin are kind of the voices on the team,’’ said Neyland. “If you are standing on the sideline there is no way you can’t hear us.’’

“Playing field hockey and lacrosse with Julia,’’ said Little, “we have really learned where the other one is going to be. Julia has really stepped up as a leader this fall and has helped us all work as a whole.’’

The Colonials are also minus All-Scholastic forward Emma Kearney, who tore her ACL during the spring lacrosse season. Kearney scored the lone goal in last fall’s Division 1 championship game against Longmeadow.

A-B suffered its first regular season loss since 2013 Sept. 10, falling to Minnechaug, 2-0. But expectations for the Colonials are always pointed at winning the season’s final game — the state championship.

Michael M. McMahon can be reached at mike.mcmahon@globe.com.