PEMBROKE — Twins Jace and Wren Jacobs each forged their own path in the game of soccer that led them to signing to play collegiately on Wednesday.

Those differing paths ultimately wound up at the same destination for the Purnell Swett seniors.

Both will play at Louisburg College, a junior college northeast of Raleigh.

“With him being there, I’ll have the support that I need, and it’s not like I’m going there by myself, I’ll have him,” Wren Jacobs said. “If I need somebody, knowing that it’s almost two hours away (from home), having my brother with me is just amazing.”

“I think that’s great for the family,” Purnell Swett coach Alaric Strickland said. “They don’t have to split weekends, or split their time going to this place and that place. I think they’ll bond even better and it’s good for the whole family and the kids.”

Jace Jacobs said he initially wasn’t too excited about the thought of sharing the college experience with his sister, but ultimately warmed up to the idea.

“I was the one that didn’t want her to go — I was trying to get away from my family, honestly,” Jace Jacobs said. “But now that I think about it, it’s probably going to be a big idea, because we can help each other improve and have somebody to practice with. … Now that I think about it, it’s a good thing.”

Jace Jacobs scored seven goals with four assists in his senior season, playing primarily at midfield but also sometimes at forward. Strickland says he’ll likely be a defender at the collegiate level.

“They’re getting somebody who really works hard,” Strickland said. “He’s a good all-around player, he learns positions quickly and he transitions well, so I think it’ll be a good test for him, for these two years at Louisburg to keep developing his game and just keep getting better and stronger to keep playing at a four-year college after that.”

Jace Jacobs had 10 collegiate offers, and gave Coker, Shaw, Winston-Salem State and Carolina University strong consideration before choosing Louisburg.

“I fell in love with the coaching there (at Louisburg),” Jace Jacobs said. “They’re two young coaches that played (college) soccer. … As soon as I went there, the practice field, I went there like three times already. I just love going back there; they treat me like it’s home. The school, it’s just like here, I’m used to it. I’m not really sure if I wanted to play college soccer, so it’s a great opportunity to be able to explore it, it’s a two-year university. I feel like I can get a lot of playing time there.”

Wren Jacobs scored three goals with four assists at midfield this spring, helping the Lady Rams to a school-record 20-win season and the program’s first shared United-8 Conference regular-season championship.

“Wren is a hard worker,” Strickland said. “She wants to keep getting better, she works hard. She’s a strong player on the outside, and she’s always been developing her game each and every year she’s been playing for me. And hopefully that continues at the next level.”

Louisburg was Wren Jacobs’ only offer, but allows her to fulfill the lifelong dream of playing college soccer.

“It’s been a dream; every since I was three years old it’s been my dream to play college soccer at the next level and stuff,” Wren Jacobs said. “Just being able to have that opportunity was great.”