Rena Liu Senior Spotlight

Sophia Sali ('28)

What inspired you to start tennis and what do you hope for the future of the Masterman

tennis team?

Definitely my sister (Melodie Liu, ‘20). She was first singles and captain of the tennis team five years ago so while I was in middle school she would just ask me to play with her at the garden courts near our house. After my freshman year, I began to take lessons at Penn. As for the team, I just hope that it grows bigger. If anyone is interested, please join, it's so much fun!

What were your greatest challenges/obstacles this season personally? What were some

challenges for your team?

Probably my fear of volleys. I’ve always been scared to go up to the net because I’m afraid I’ll get hit with a ball but I’ve somewhat gotten over it. I think the challenge for the team was just getting started. Because of our new coach, I think we as captains, Ana Sorrentino (‘25), Kaddy Ren (‘25), Rena Liu (‘25), and Giulia Sheth (‘28), took on a big role in leading practice. Another challenge was the amount of new players that joined including Sophia Plastaras (‘28), Alison Samuel (‘28), Chloe Banks (‘28), Faith Oni (‘28), and Haley Lau (‘28). Since the captains had to lead practice at some times, we had to explain the basics to some of the freshmen that were new to the sport.

How would you describe your team up with Sophia P this year? How would you say this

Is it different from previous years?

Honestly, I couldn’t wish for a better doubles partner. This is my third year doing the doubles tournament and this is the closest relationship I’ve had so far. We knew ahead of time that we would be doing the tournament together and needed to have a good relationship to succeed, so Sophia and I were pushed to form a bond. In the beginning, it was awkward but over time we became good friends. I’m just super happy that we had the opportunity to play together.

What has been your most memorable moment or achievement you’ve had while playing

highschool tennis?

The PPL Championship. We played Central once before and I had a really close game; for the championship, I was kind of the deciding factor. Definitely a lot of pressure on my shoulders but also one of my biggest highlights of the season. I remember how happy I was after winning my match and running up to Sophia (‘28) and Giulia (‘25) after they also won. Just overall a great way to end my high school tennis career.

What contributions have you made in the Youth Volunteer Corporation?

Probably the plastic flower candy grams we made. Basically, we collected plastic water bottles and cut them up, burned the edges so they would curl like petals and then glued them together to resemble a rose—super tedious but also super worth it. We sold them for Valentine’s Day and then donated the money 5Gyres.

What is your greatest experience in Best Buddies? How did that affect your highschool

experience?

Over the summer I went to an event called the Best Buddies Leadership Conference. It was three days in July, and people all over the US (and the world) came together in Indiana to share their experiences. I went alone, which was pretty scary, but I connected with a lot of other high schoolers from PA. We heard people’s testimonies of how Best Buddies changed their lives so it definitely motivated me to do more.

What's something you learned in school that you think will stick with you forever?

I'm a pretty shy person, so I would say maybe speaking up. I’ve been talking more since I’ve been on the tennis team and I think that's what really helped me grow closer to the seniors and my friends.

Which teacher has been the most impactful, and what did you learn from them?

I would say Mr. Tannen, he’s just someone you can always go to if you need help. I've actually developed a pretty close relationship with him. We live in the same neighborhood so I see him around often and I've even babysat his kids!

What are you looking forward to in college? What do you plan to do after graduation? What field or career are you interested in pursuing?

I’m really interested in dentistry because my mom is a dentist. So, I'm currently applying to many seven-year bio-dental programs where I can get a bachelor's degree in three years and direct admission into a dental school.

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