Preeya Singh is a rising star in her parents’ homeland of Fiji.

The Manteca resident and UC Merced sophomore is playing for Fiji’s under-19 women’s national soccer team, which faces seven-time champion New Zealand in the Oceania Football Confederation Championships Saturday at 7 p.m. (midnight PST) at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, Fiji. The game will stream on YouTube and the OFC website (www.oceaniafootball.com).

An historic upset win would send the host Fijians to next year’s U20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia.

Singh, a 2022 Sierra High grad, has left her mark with the budding Fijian women’s program the past two weeks. A speedy outside back for Manuel Pires’ Timberwolves during her prep days, she has fit in with Fiii as a skillful, playmaking midfielder.

She flashed those abilities when scoring her first international goal on Wednesday when the Fijians defeated Samoa 3-1 in the semifinals. Singh received a pass near the midfield circle and evaded a defender on the first touch, setting up a right-footed bomb from about 25 yards out that lifted over the unsuspecting keeper. That put Fiji ahead 3-0 in the 69th minute.

Singh has played in every minute of the competition for the Fijians, who are looking to avenge their lone loss in the final. They opened group play on June 22 with a 3-0 loss to New Zealand but bounced back six days later by dispatching Papua New Guinea 2-0 to reach the knockout rounds.

Last Saturday, Singh keyed Fiji’s 1-0 quarterfinal win over New Caledonia and was named Player of the Match. She played a part in the build-up to Ema Mereia’s deciding goal in the 85th minute.

Singh is one of two United States-based players who made Team Fiji, though fellow California teen Anisha Dwarka, of Sacramento, did not make the final cut because of injury.

Singh is entering her sophomore year at UC Merced. She contributed two assists for the Bobcats (10-6-3) as a freshman last season.