SIOUX FALLS — Elk Point-Jefferson played with nothing to lose and that worked in its favor. 

The No. 8 Huskies stunned No. 1 Wagner in a four-set match in the Class A state volleyball action at the Denny Sanford Premier Center on Thursday. The set scores were 25-21, 25-23, 23-25 and 27-25. 

Elk Point-Jefferson (25-9) dropped a 2-0 decision against Wagner early in the season, but got revenge on the state’s biggest stage against the top seed.

“Knowing that we are going to play against the No. 1 seed and we were like we have nothing to lose,” EPJ senior outside hitter Danica Torrez said. “So we just went out and fought as hard as we could and look at where we ended up.”

The Huskies were leading 2-1 in the fourth set and withstood a late surge by Wagner (31-4) to pull off the upset. EPJ took a 21-16 lead in the fourth set, but Wagner rallied back behind the power hitting of Emma Yost. The senior outside hitter pounded down three straight kills to even the score at 22-22. 

An EPJ error gave Wagner a 23-22 advantage and then the teams traded points in an entertaining final sequence. The set was tied at 23-23, 24-24 and 25-25 before EPJ sealed it on back-to-back Bentlee Kollbaum kills. 

“That made me very nervous,” Torrez said about the final set. “Going back and forth was hard because you don't really know who is fighting more. I was just really worked up.” 

Torrez finished with nine of EPJ’s 57 kills. Kollbaum (18), Josie Curry (13) and Natalie Heuertz (12) all recorded double-digit kills. Sophia Giorgio dished out 53 assists and had 11 digs. Alyssa Chytka had a match-high 30 digs, while Torrez had 14 digs. Giorgio and Hannah Nearman had 11 and 10 digs, respectively. 

Wagner (31-4) was led by Yost’s 16 kills and 12 digs. Avari Bruguier finished with nine kills and 12 digs. Shona Kocer added eight kills, while Shalayne Nagel and Kya Kjeldgaard had seven kills apiece. Macy Koupal dished out 37 assists and added 15 digs. Madi Knebel recorded 16 digs. Nagel added 14 digs.

Wagner will play Dakota Valley at 11:15 a.m. Friday in the consolation semifinals. 

EPJ will play Sioux Falls Christian at 5 p.m. Friday in the championship semifinals. The Huskies were swept by the Chargers in both meetings this season against their conference foe. 

“We almost took a set from Sioux Falls Christian in the regular season,” Torrez said. “We are ready to come to work. We know they are going to bring some really good hits, some good blocks. So we are ready to fight as hard as we can to win our next game.”

Elk Point-Jefferson celebrates upsetting No. 1 Wagner on Thursday at the Class A state volleyball tournament in Sioux Falls. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)