SAN JOSE — Penalty kicks make most people nervous.
Not Layla Tucakovic.
“They’re my favorite,” Archbishop Mitty‘s goalkeeper said.
Tucakovic certainly embraces the challenge. She’s chatty, confident and convicted as she picks a side and pursues the ball.
And when Mitty’s game with Amador Valley ended 0-0 after extra time, she was ready. Tucakovic saved two penalty kicks and watched another hit the post as the Monarchs won PKs 3-2 and advanced to the CIF NorCal semifinals.
Archbishop Mitty goalkeeper Layla Tucakovic (1) blocks the final shot to beat Amador Valley in the penalty shootout for their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)“I just love the pressure,” Tucakovic said. “I’m pretty good under pressure, and I’m also good at reading the players. And it’s fun always celebrating with your teammates after you win.”
She’s also a mind-game savant. She hops around irregularly, claps her hands and engages the opposing shooter however possible.
And it works.
“That’s my cup of tea, right there,” she said. “I just like going in their heads, clapping at their faces. Can’t really talk to them, but I tried.”
Archbishop Mitty goalkeeper Layla Tucakovic (1), bottom center, is congratulated by teammates at their end of their win against Amador Valley in the penalty shootout for their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Mitty (16-4-1) had a few good chances early on, but the game mostly settled into a defensive stalemate from the end of the first half on.
Monarchs coach JT Hanley said he wasn’t playing for the shootout. But he felt pretty good about Mitty’s chances when the game arrived there.
“We would love to come out here and play champagne football every time,” Hanley said. “But at the end of the day. If we have to do this to advance to the next round, we’ll happily do that every time we have a match. Everybody had to pay to get in here today, so I guess they got their money’s worth.”
He felt even better about the player between the pipes.
Archbishop Mitty goalkeeper Layla Tucakovic (1), far left, is congratulated by teammates at their end of their win against Amador Valley in the penalty shootout for their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)“Layla’s a phenomenal goalkeeper,” Hanley said. “She was named goalkeeper of the year for the league today, and you could see why by a couple of the saves that she made in open play. But in penalty kicks, I’ve been here long enough that I’ve done this more than a couple times, and she’s as good as any keeper that we’ve had here. And we’ve had some really good ones in PKs. In my time here, we’ve only lost one shootout.”
It was a tough way to lose for Amador Valley (8-4-3), which had an excellent season highlighted by making the East Bay Athletic League tournament and the NCS Open Division semifinals.
But the Dons couldn’t solve Tucakovic, and that was it.
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“And state’s always the cherry on top for us, if we’re able to do that too.”
Zada Pasic and Julia Wanis converted for Amador Valley in PKs. Makenna Tanaka, Mattea Petroff and Sofia Mello came through for Mitty, with Mello’s shot being the winner in the fourth round.
Tucakovic denied AV in the top of the fifth to seal the win.
Archbishop Mitty's Avery Richter (22) fights for the ball against Amador Valley’s Addison Stout (21) in second half of their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Archbishop Mitty's Lilly Jones (19) controls the ball against Amador Valley’s Marcella Stearns(3) in first half of their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Archbishop Mitty's Jimena Portillo (23) fights for the ball against Amador Valley’s Addison Stout (21) in second half of their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Amador Valley’ Claire Morgan (9) against fights for the ball against Archbishop Mitty's Danielle Paredes (24) in first half of their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Archbishop Mitty's Brooklynn Collier (13) fights for the ball against Amador Valley’s Claire Morgan (9) in overtime for their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Archbishop Mitty's Avery Richter (22) fights for the ball against Amador Valley’s Addison Stout (21) in second half of their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) Amador Valley’s Marcella Stearns(3) controls the ball against Archbishop Mitty's Taylor Klein (6) and Archbishop Mitty's Danielle Paredes (24) in first half of their CIF NorCal girls soccer Division II quarterfinal game at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)Subscribe to our Bay Area Preps HQ newsletter for all our Bay Area high school sports coverage, including game analysis, scores, and everything you want to know about your Bay Area high school teams.
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