Sharon Sailors Hoist First Win

The earned its big first win of 2011 Wednesday thanks to some little improvements.

The Eagles (1-4) edged visiting Dover-Sherborn, 3-2, at Memorial Park Beach on Lake Massapoag. It was D-S's season opener.

"We started improving the things we haven't been good enough at before. It's just sort of slow, steady," Sharon head coach Gary Werden said.

"Better starts. A little better teamwork. A little better boat speed. A little better in a lot of things."

Dover-Sherborn head coach Elliott Lucil said his team's "starts were rough."

"We had a hard time getting off the line, and when you make a few mental mistakes in this sport, it costs you the race," Lucil said.

Sharon is an A-division team and Dover-Sherborn is a B-division team, "so you want to do the best you can," he said.

Lucil praised juniors Jen Vaughan and Tori McGruer, and said senior co-captain Connor Mahoney and his crew, junior Caroline Wolff, "had a good day." And senior co-captain Katrina Miaoulis "came in and helped out when we needed her to," he said.

"It's our first race of the year team racing, so our kids have a lot to work on. But we had a good day," Lucil said.

Werden said Dover-Sherborn being a B-team didn't really affect his line-up.

"We needed a win," he said.

"They're pretty good. They've got a couple of really good skippers."

Sharon has its first road dual meet of the season Thursday, facing the Moses Brown School in Providence at 4 p.m. at the Rhode Island Yacht Club.

Dover-Sherborn, meanwhile, travels to Wellesley on Friday.

Sharon and Dover-Sherborn will see each other again in Sharon on Saturday, during the Sharon Invitational.