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Hillary Hoyt Goes 22-1 as Indians’ No. 3 Singles Player

Hillary Hoyt has proved a huge part of the North Haven girls’ tennis team’s success during the past few seasons. As a senior this spring, Hillary once again played the No. 3 singles position for the Indians, who had another solid year that saw them collect 18 wins. Along the way, Hillary posted an excellent record of 22-1, including victories in all three of North Haven’s postseason contests.

A lifelong North Haven resident, Hillary started playing tennis at the age of five. Hillary’s family belongs to the High Lane Club in North Haven, where she plays team tennis every summer. Throughout her career, Hillary has developed a style where she focuses on playing as clean a game as possible.

“It seems to me the easiest way to play. Just get the ball over the net and return every shot that they hit to me,” says Hillary. “I’ve always had the stamina to outlast them, and I would be able to run for it longer than they could.”

There’s no question that Hillary’s approach has benefited both herself and her team. Indians’ Head Coach Bob Migliorini credits Hillary for her ability to keep the ball between the lines, while racking up the wins.

“She wins matches. She wins a lot of them,” Coach Migliorini says. “She’s a baseliner. She basically keeps the ball in play and is very steady. She makes very few unforced errors and lets her opponents beat themselves. If you can keep the ball in play instead of your opponent, you’re going to win a lot of matches. She plays a style very similar to her sister.”

Hillary’s sister Olivia recently completed her high school tennis career as North Haven’s No. 2 singles player. When they aren’t playing a long match against each other in practice, it’s a common occurrence for the Hoyt sisters to talk tennis strategy with one another.

“When we’re in practice, whenever Olivia and I get put together, or when we do that on our own time, we have really long points,” says Hillary. “When you put two players who play long points together, it goes for a very long time. Otherwise, it’s great to have her there. It’s great to talk about tennis together and talk about opponents together.”

Hillary enjoys playing against everyone on her team, including the underclass athletes who are newcomers to the tennis world. Hillary uses that as an opportunity to help sharpen their skills, and Coach Migliorini appreciates Hillary’s knack for aiding her teammates.

“She interacts well with the girls on the team. If I pair her up with younger players, she helps them out with techniques,” Migliorini says. “She’s like a coach. She tries to teach younger players who aren’t as skilled as her when she has the opportunity.”

As much as Hillary likes helping her teammates by giving them technical tips, she feels the most important aspect of tennis is the mental game and always believing that you can win.

“I like working with the younger players because I like seeing them grow and improve, and I want to help them get there. A lot of them just need confidence to get better, and I can help them do that,” says Hillary. “I’m confident in myself and my abilities. When I’m down, I still think I can win. Really, all you have to do is the best you can. It’s really not over until you score the last point.”

One of the ways Hillary stays confident on the court is by pulling from her various experiences at North Haven. Hillary has built up her stamina by running cross country, she’s taken a leadership role as a captain of the fencing team, and she also keeps her mind sharp as a member of the math team. While math isn’t an athletic endeavor, Hillary believes there are similarities between being on that team and competing for her other squads.

“You’re working under pressure to perform a task in a certain amount of time,” she says. “After working individually, you’re working with teammates to get that task done.”

After graduating from North Haven, Hillary will attend Northeastern University in Boston, where she will major in behavioral neuroscience and minor in computer science. As she looks ahead to the future, Hillary can’t help but look back and thank those who have helped her along the way.

“I think my family is really important, because we play together a lot, and they taught me a lot. They certainly inspired me to do better at everything,” Hillary says. “My teammates are an inspiration to me, too, because they are working so hard to accomplish what they do and I just want to be up there with them.”