Spartans Battle but Fall to No. 14 South Carolina in ITA Kickoff Consolation Match
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Michigan State men’s tennis wrapped up its ITA Kickoff Weekend with a hard-fought 4-2 loss to No. 14 South Carolina on Friday afternoon in the consolation final. In a matchup that featured two nationally ranked squads each looking to bounce back from first-round upsets, the Gamecocks ultimately held serve at home, clinching the win indoors at the Carolina Indoor Tennis Center.
This one was competitive from the jump. Both teams came into Friday’s match looking to respond after identical 4-2 losses the day before - Michigan State to Harvard, and South Carolina in a rivalry stunner against Clemson. The Spartans, ranked No. 24 nationally, showed flashes of their top-25 pedigree but couldn’t quite overcome the early deficit after the Gamecocks grabbed the doubles point.
Let’s start there. South Carolina struck first in doubles, setting the tone with a pair of convincing wins.
At No. 3, the duo of Atakan Karahan and Cole Henceroth took down Michigan State’s No. 76-ranked pairing of Mitchell Sheldon and David Saye, 6-2. Then, over on court one, the Gamecock tandem of Lucas Da Silva and Paul Barbier Gazeu - unranked but clearly locked in - stunned the Spartans’ 14th-ranked duo of Taym Alazmeh and Danial Rakhmatullayev by the same 6-2 margin to clinch the doubles point.
Michigan State nearly salvaged a win at No. 2 doubles, where Ozan Baris and Matthew Forbes were up 5-2 on the 31st-ranked team of Sean Daryabeigi and Max Stenzer when the match was halted. But by then, the point was already South Carolina’s.
In singles play, the Spartans showed plenty of fight. Rakhmatullayev got MSU on the board with a straight-set win at No. 5 singles, taking down Stenzer 6-3, 7-5. Alazmeh followed with another solid performance at No. 3, outlasting Gazeu 6-4, 6-4 to pull Michigan State within striking distance.
But South Carolina’s depth - and a few key swings at the top of the lineup - proved decisive. Da Silva, ranked No. 80 nationally, delivered a statement win at No. 1 singles, defeating third-ranked Forbes 6-3, 6-2 in a matchup that showcased Da Silva’s composure and consistency under pressure.
Meanwhile, Daryabeigi backed up that effort with a 6-3, 6-3 win over No. 14 Baris at No. 2 singles, pushing the Gamecocks to the brink of victory.
The clincher came at No. 4, where Karahan held off Saye, 6-3, 6-4, to seal the match for South Carolina.
Sheldon was locked in a back-and-forth battle at No. 6 singles with Charlie Swaine when play was halted. The two had split sets - 6-4 to Sheldon, 6-4 to Swaine - and were tied 1-1 in the third when the match went unfinished.
Despite the loss, there were positives for Michigan State. Rakhmatullayev and Alazmeh both turned in strong singles performances, and the Baris-Forbes duo looked sharp in doubles before their match was cut short. For a team still building its identity early in the season, the Spartans showed they can hang with elite competition - even if the final score didn’t tilt their way this time.
Michigan State now heads back to East Lansing, where they’ll regroup before hosting Tennessee on Friday, Feb. 6. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.
Match Summary:
No. 14 South Carolina 4, No. 24 Michigan State 2
Singles Results: 1.
#80 Lucas Da Silva (SC) def. #3 Matthew Forbes (MSU) - 6-3, 6-2
- 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
- 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
- Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) vs.
Charlie Swaine (SC) - 6-4, 4-6, 1-1 (unfinished)
Order of finish: 2, 5, 1, 3, 4
Doubles Results: 1.
Lucas Da Silva / Paul Barbier Gazeu (SC) def. #14 Taym Alazmeh / Danial Rakhmatullayev (MSU) - 6-2
- Ozan Baris / Matthew Forbes (MSU) vs.
#31 Sean Daryabeigi / Max Stenzer (SC) - 5-2 (unfinished)
3.
Atakan Karahan / Cole Henceroth (SC) def. #76 Mitchell Sheldon / David Saye (MSU) - 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 1
The Spartans may not have come away with the win, but they’ll take valuable experience and a clearer sense of where they stand as they prepare for a challenging home stretch ahead.