Michigan State University Athletics
Friday, January 23
Columbia, SC
Michigan State University
2
at
4
No. 14 South Carolina
24th-Ranked MSU Men’s Tennis Falls To No. 14 South Carolina Friday At ITA Kickoff Weekend
1/23/2026 2:30:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Michigan State records two singles victories on day two of action.
COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 24 Michigan State men's tennis concluded day two of competition at the ITA Kickoff Weekend, falling 4-2 to host and No. 14 South Carolina on Friday afternoon in the consolation final at the Carolina Indoor Tennis Center.
The ranked vs. ranked match-up came after a pair of upsets in Thursday's first round, as the Spartans were knocked off by Harvard, 4-2, while the Gamecocks were upset by in-state rival Clemson, by the identical score of 4-2.
South Carolina claimed the doubles point to secure an early lead on Friday. At No. 3 doubles, Atakan Karahan and his partner Cole Henceroth, defeated No. 76-ranked Spartan duo of sophomore Mitchell Sheldon and senior David Saye, 6-2. Clinching the top spot, Lucas Da Silva and Paul Barbier Gazeu of South Carolina defeated No. 14-ranked tandem of junior Taym Alazmeh and sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev, 6-2. Spartan senior Ozan Baris and sophomore Matthew Forbes had a 5-2 lead over No. 31 Sean Daryabeigi and Max Stenzer, but the match went unfinished.
The Spartans earned two victories in singles play. Rakhmatullayev defeated Stenzer in straight sets at No. 5 singles, 6-3, 7-5. Alazmeh added a victory at No. 3 singles, defeating Gazeu, 6-4, 6-4.
South Carolina secured singles wins with 80th-ranked Da Silva defeating 3rd-ranked Forbes, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, while Daryabeigi knocked off 14th-ranked Baris, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 singles. Karahan defeated 104th-ranked Saye, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4. Sheldon battled through a three-set match at No. 6 singles with Charlie Swaine, but the match was left unfinished at 6-4, 4-6, 1-1.
Michigan State will return home Friday, Feb. 6, to host Tennessee at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center, with first serve set for 6:30 p.m.
Fans can keep up with the Spartan men's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by following @MSU_MTennis.
No. 14 South Carolina 4, No. 24 MSU 2
Singles:
1. #80 Lucas Da Silva (SC) def. #3 Matthew Forbes (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Sean Daryabeigi (SC) def. #14 Ozan Baris (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) def. Paul Barbier Gazeu (SC) 6-4, 6-4
4. Atakan Karahan (SC) def. #103 David Saye (MSU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. #104 Max Stenzer (SC) 6-3, 7-5
6. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) vs. Charlie Swaine (SC) 6-4, 4-6, 1-1 (Unfinished)
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 1, 3, 4
Doubles:
1. Lucas Da Silva/ Paul Barbier Gazeu (SC) def. #14 Taym Alazmeh/Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-2
2. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) vs #31 Sean Daryabeigi/Max Stenzer (SC) 5-2 (Unfinished)
3. Atakan Karahan (SC) def. #76 Mitchell Sheldon/David Saye (MSU) 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1
The ranked vs. ranked match-up came after a pair of upsets in Thursday's first round, as the Spartans were knocked off by Harvard, 4-2, while the Gamecocks were upset by in-state rival Clemson, by the identical score of 4-2.
South Carolina claimed the doubles point to secure an early lead on Friday. At No. 3 doubles, Atakan Karahan and his partner Cole Henceroth, defeated No. 76-ranked Spartan duo of sophomore Mitchell Sheldon and senior David Saye, 6-2. Clinching the top spot, Lucas Da Silva and Paul Barbier Gazeu of South Carolina defeated No. 14-ranked tandem of junior Taym Alazmeh and sophomore Danial Rakhmatullayev, 6-2. Spartan senior Ozan Baris and sophomore Matthew Forbes had a 5-2 lead over No. 31 Sean Daryabeigi and Max Stenzer, but the match went unfinished.
The Spartans earned two victories in singles play. Rakhmatullayev defeated Stenzer in straight sets at No. 5 singles, 6-3, 7-5. Alazmeh added a victory at No. 3 singles, defeating Gazeu, 6-4, 6-4.
South Carolina secured singles wins with 80th-ranked Da Silva defeating 3rd-ranked Forbes, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, while Daryabeigi knocked off 14th-ranked Baris, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 singles. Karahan defeated 104th-ranked Saye, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4. Sheldon battled through a three-set match at No. 6 singles with Charlie Swaine, but the match was left unfinished at 6-4, 4-6, 1-1.
Michigan State will return home Friday, Feb. 6, to host Tennessee at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center, with first serve set for 6:30 p.m.
Fans can keep up with the Spartan men's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by following @MSU_MTennis.
No. 14 South Carolina 4, No. 24 MSU 2
Singles:
1. #80 Lucas Da Silva (SC) def. #3 Matthew Forbes (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Sean Daryabeigi (SC) def. #14 Ozan Baris (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Taym Alazmeh (MSU) def. Paul Barbier Gazeu (SC) 6-4, 6-4
4. Atakan Karahan (SC) def. #103 David Saye (MSU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) def. #104 Max Stenzer (SC) 6-3, 7-5
6. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) vs. Charlie Swaine (SC) 6-4, 4-6, 1-1 (Unfinished)
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 1, 3, 4
Doubles:
1. Lucas Da Silva/ Paul Barbier Gazeu (SC) def. #14 Taym Alazmeh/Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-2
2. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) vs #31 Sean Daryabeigi/Max Stenzer (SC) 5-2 (Unfinished)
3. Atakan Karahan (SC) def. #76 Mitchell Sheldon/David Saye (MSU) 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1
Players Mentioned
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