MASON, Ohio – Cool morning temperatures in Southwest Ohio were likely welcomed by the 32 players in the opening round of the NCAA 2015 Men's Tennis Singles Championship at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Unfortunately for Whitman College's Colton Malesovas the championship environment proved to be the setting of his final collegiate match as the senior dropped a 6-3, 6-4 decision to Abhishek Alla of Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) University in the first round of the national singles bracket.

Thursday's result will not dampen the career Malesovas wrote into the history books, however.

When Malesovas was named the Northwest Conference's men's tennis player of the year in a late-April release by the league office it marked his third consecutive player-of-the-year honor, an historic first for men's tennis within the league.

A two time (2014, 2013) Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American, Malesovas completes his career for the Missionaries with a career mark of 122-52 which is tied for seventh all-time for the program.

With Malesovas playing near if not at the top of the singles and doubles ladder for Whitman the program was able to continue its string of conference championships, winning its eighth in a row this spring with Malesovas providing the championship point in the NWC tournament final.

Malesovas' senior season finishes with a 17-9 overall record in singles. He twice put together five-match win streaks and entered the NCAA singles tournament riding a seven-match win streak. In doubles action Malesovas posted a 16-4 record including a six-match win streak, with doubles partner and fellow All-American James Rivers, to close out the pair's senior campaigns.