SPARTA — East Surry beat Alleghany 3-1 to stay alive in the state 1A volleyball playoffs.

The Lady Cards squeezed out three tough games against the Lady Trojans to advance to face North Stokes for the fourth time this season.

Middle hitter Keri Fulp had 21 kills, 10 blocks and two service aces.

“We kind of rode Keri’s shoulders for the first set and a half,” said Coach Caleb Gilley. When the Trojans focused on her, it opened up hitting lanes for the others, he added.

Lindsay Marinan had eight kills and Katelyn Markle added four.

“We passed very well in set one and set two,” said the coach. That passing allowed Olivia Sheets to set up the hitters; she finished with 28 assists.

The Cards edged the home team 25-22 and 25-21.

The Trojans could have folded, but showed plenty of resistance in the third game, fighting for their playoff lives.

East Surry seemed to let up a little, Gilley admitted.

“Alleghany is a very good passing team, and they don’t quit on anything,” he said. The Trojans tore through the third frame 25-7.

The home team couldn’t keep that momentum going in the fourth game, however, and the Cards finished off the night 25-20.

The back row passed well for three sets the Cards won, the coach said.

Sheets and Markle led the team in digs with 11 each, but they had plenty of help. Madison Jessup added nine, Marinan seven and Evelyn Wells six.

Fulp and Ashley Smith did a good job getting their hands on balls at the net, according to the coach.

“If Keri wasn’t blocking it, we were getting touches on it, making it easier on back row,” he said.

On Thursday, the Cards travel to Danbury for a 6 p.m. match. The Vikings won the first meeting, but the Cards have won the past two.