PINETOWN — Powered by the consistent play of setter Kendall Alligood and hitter Alex Adams, a come-from-behind win in the fourth game lifted Northside over Union Tuesday night, securing the Panthers’ place in the third round of the 1-A state volleyball playoffs.

Union, a team that finished sixth in the Four County Conference, was fresh off a six-match losing streak before knocking off Pamlico County in the first round. Head coach Kayla Maddox, who was looking forward to some redemption against a conference rival, was instead presented with a squad with little to lose.

Coming off a closely contested five-game match against Gates County in the first round, Northside came just a few points shy from following a similar script against the Spartans, but the Panthers the avoided costly unforced errors that plagued them in the first game and locked up the 3-1 win.

“Fundamentals won it for us this time,” Maddox said. “They played smart. Now, it wasn’t about hustle because they were out hustling us. It was about hitting the ball with purpose.”

Northside got off to its signature early start on the back of 12 assists in the first game by Alligood. The consistent setting opened the door for the hitters to rack up kills, including Adams who notched five through the first 25 points. Union pulled to within one point late, but the Panthers were able take the first game rather comfortably, 25-20.

“Kendall gives us strong leadership, almost to the point where it hurts some people,” Maddox said of her junior setter. “She is not afraid to tell them what needs to be done on that court when I’m not. She’s focused — in that game 100 percent of the time.”

Northside controlled the second game early, jumping out to a 15-9 lead. The Spartans hung around, but found themselves down seven points facing match point. Then, Union quickly began to chip away, the middle hitters notching three-straight kills at one point. The opposition pulled to within two points, but a line violation cut the comeback short and gave Northside a two-game lead.

In Game 3, it was Union that managed to erase an early deficit, double blocking Adams and junior sophomore Rachel Lang at the net, holding both to just two kills apiece. The Spartans stayed alive with a 25-22 victory.

But Northside would prevent history from repeating itself and closed the fourth game, 25-23.

“We were the fundamentally stronger team tonight, but they were going to hustle hard. I knew there was a chance we’d lose that third game like we like to do, but they finished and got it back in that fourth game. It made me feel really confident about the future.”

Alligood finished with a game-high 29 assists, while Adams notched 16 kills.

Northside will travel to Williamston to take on No. 4-seeded Riverside in the third round on Thursday.

“We have some dedicated fans who will try to make the drive, but otherwise it’s on us to play our game and to shut everything else out and only see this court,” Maddox said.