MISSOULA — Over the course of three weeks, Montana goalkeeper Bayliss Flynn has gone from reserve to starter and now to Big Sky Conference defensive player of the week.
Flynn was honored on Tuesday after making five saves in Montana’s only match last week, a 4-0 shutout of North Dakota at South Campus Stadium.
Ashlyn Dvorak entered the season as GK1 and for good reason. She was all-region last year after finishing the season with a 0.47 goals-against average and 11 shutouts.
But Dvorak was injured in Montana’s match at Fresno State in late August, opening the door for Flynn.
Over the Grizzlies’ last four matches, Flynn is unbeaten at 2-0-2. She has posted three shutouts in four starts and has a 0.75 goals-against average.
“We use the word coachable all the time and players are either coachable because they have good attitudes or because they listen to what you say and apply it immediately,” said Montana associate head coach J. Landham, who trains the team’s goalkeepers.
“That is what Bayliss does. She trusts our coaching, then she applies the coaching points and throws her own athleticism and intelligence on it. With all of that together, she is really confident. Plus, she is fun to coach on top of it.”
Flynn made her debut in Montana’s 1-0 home win over IU Indianapolis, the ideal match for a player to make her first collegiate appearance. She faced just two shots, neither of which required a save to earn the victory.
That wasn’t the case the next week, when she had to make 20 saves to help Montana pick up road draws at Air Force and Wyoming.
At home against North Dakota last week, Flynn made five saves, all routine looking but that’s part of a quality goalkeeper’s brilliance, making the difficult look easy.
“The saves she is making, they look simple but they are not,” said Montana coach Chris Citowicki. “If you look at her footwork, look at her positioning, that’s everything that J. has given her over the last couple weeks that have completely elevated her game to a different level.”
Montana will host Boise State on Thursday at 4 p.m. at South Campus Stadium. The Grizzlies are 5-0-0 at home this season without a goal allowed. The Broncos are 6-1-0 on the season and averaging 2.43 goals per game.
Flynn will get the start. Flynn will be ready.
“There is an aura about her now in training,” said Landham. “She is still humble, still respectful, but she also has this level of, I’m here to train and to play. I can tell she has no doubts in herself, and that’s really cool. Not a lot of players have that.
“If you see her water bottle, you’ll see game information on it, then you’ll see some small quotes. Some people put those on there because a pro does it, but a pro does it because they actually apply it. Bayliss right now is acting like a pro and nothing is holding her back.”
