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Washington High School senior Jesmelly Lugo will continue her soccer career at Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C.

Lugo, a center back and team captain for the Pam Pack, helped her team to a 13-6-1 record and a trip to the 2A state playoffs with 15 goals this spring.

Her dad, Abraham, signed her up for the Washington Optimist Youth Soccer League as soon as she was old enough and she’s played ever since.

“The soccer field is my safe space where I feel comfortable and don’t have to worry about anything else,” Lugo said. “My dad always pushed me to keep improving and he’s a big reason why I’m able to play in college.”

Lugo tried other sports, including volleyball at P.S. Jones Middle School, but soccer has always been her favorite.

“I’ve always had a lot of fun playing and it’s just been in the last few months that I thought I had a chance to keep playing,” she said. “I really liked the coaches and my future teammates when I visited Chowan and I think that’s a place where I can continue to improve. It’s also close enough to home so I can come back when I want to.”

Lugo’s senior class was the first to play on the Pam Pack’s new soccer field after many years on the football field.

“I was really happy when it was ready in the fall because I knew we would get to play on it my last year here,” Lugo said. “It’s a great field and I’m really happy it worked out that we got to play on it.”

Lugo lists playing on the new field as one of her career highlights along with scoring her first varsity goal as a sophomore and scoring three times for a hat trick at West Craven earlier this spring.

She plans to major in Biology with an eye toward becoming a general surgeon.

“I’ve always been interested in how the human body works and blood doesn’t bother me,” Lugo said. “I’ve been interested in being a surgeon after having my own knee operated on. I think helping people recover and lead a better life would be a great career.”