LSU played two different styles this past weekend, using an overtime thriller and a blowout to pick up two conference victories.But in both contests, junior midfielder Malorie Rutledge stood out.Rutledge scored four goals during the weekend to lead LSU (10-2-0. 4-2-0) to a home sweep of Auburn and Alabama. The Tigers defeated Auburn, 2-1, on Friday night and shut out Alabama, 7-0, on Sunday afternoon.”Malorie’s just getting what she deserves from nine months of really hard work,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. “She continues to work hard — stays after practice, hits free kicks, works on her crossing, works on her finishing … her potential is even greater than what she’s showing so far.”Rutledge scored the game winner in overtime against Auburn just 24 seconds into the extra period on an assist from junior midfielder Melissa Clarke. She is tied with junior midfielder Michelle Makasini for the team lead with seven goals this season.”Brian told me at the beginning of the year that, once I get my first goal, that they’re all going to start coming,” Rultledge said. “They’re just flowing right now.”LSU started much faster against Alabama, with Rutledge scoring two goals in the first 25 minutes. She also picked up her first career hat trick against the Crimson Tide.Junior midfielder Michelle Makasini followed suit, scoring a goal in each half against the Crimson Tide.”On Friday we had three really good chances in the first five minutes, and we didn’t get one,” Lee said. “Today the early goal makes a world of difference in relaxing the team and helping us be able to push for more goals.”LSU had only eight shots on goal against Auburn but collected 15 shots on goal against Alabama.Lee started junior defender Chelsea Potts at midfielder against Alabama. Potts’s sister, Brittany, started in place of Chelsea at defender, and Makasni was moved to the bench.”The ability to bring Michelle Makasini and Malorie Rutledge and Kellie Murphy off the bench, to have them contribute like that, really was the difference [Sunday],” Lee said.LSU played in front of a season-high 1,503 fans against Auburn and a school-record Sunday crowd of 1,010 against Alabama.”The environment, where they are right on top of the field, lets our fans influence the action a lot more than at other stadiums,” Lee said. “They’re your normal LSU fans — they’re not shy.”The two victories extend LSU’s home winning streak to 16 games. The win against Auburn was LSU’s first since 2002.LSU plays Vanderbilt at home Friday and Kentucky at home Sunday. —-Contact Robert Stewart at [email protected]