MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's volleyball team is getting tested with a tough stretch of early-season matches. Thus far, the Rams have embraced the challenge.
 
A day after earning the program's highest-ever national ranking, the No. 17 Rams took down rival Coe in a five-set battle between defending conference champions by scores of 25-23, 22-25, 25-15, 20-25, 15-10 Wednesday night inside the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.
 
The Rams moved to 7-1 overall and earned Cornell's first point in the 2023-24 Bremner Cup All-Sport Series, which Coe now leads 3-1.
 
The volleyball win is Cornell's fourth in the last five meetings with the Kohawks (3-4), who are receiving votes in the national poll.
 
Only two weeks into the season, the Rams improved to 4-0 in five-set matches. They play host to another high-profile opponent at 6 p.m. Friday in No. 15 Gustavus Adolphus (8-1).
 
Cornell junior setter Clare Green dished a career-high 53 assists, seven coming in the decisive fifth set during which the Rams never trailed. Grace Marti delivered the first three points, followed by an Ilah Perez-Johnson kill that pushed Cornell ahead 4-0.
 
The Kohawks tightened the score at 11-9, but would get no closer as the Rams notched their fourth home win of the season in as many tries.
 
The Rams had four players reach double-digit kills, led by Perez-Johnson with 19. Marti finished with 17 kills, Ella McLaughlin 13 and Carly Puffer 12. Puffer hit an efficient .345.
 
Libero Ella Becker provided a team-best 21 digs. Kensie Staats and Perez-Johnson had 13 digs apiece, followed by Nia Howard and Green each with 12. Perez-Johnson led the team with four blocks.
 
The see-saw match had the Rams hit .227, the Kohawks .214.