A change in lineup and formation proved to be a successful formula Sunday for LSU against Auburn.LSU used a 6-2 formation, where the setter is always on the back row, for the first time this season. Freshman Michele Williams started at middle blocker for the first time this season, and junior Sam Dabbs and sophomore Brittney Johnson split time at setter.The switch worked for LSU in a 3-0 sweep of Auburn (5-14, 0-8) at the Student Activities Center.The victory gives the Tigers (9-6, 4-4) their first Southeastern Conference road win of the season.”Right now our team is just trying to figure out the way we can win and what lineup works,” Dabbs said. “This lineup worked today, and who knows, it could be the turning point for us.”Both Dabbs and Johnson found a rhythm in the new lineup, finishing with 18 and 12 assists, respectively.”We know each others’ tendencies,” Dabbs said. “We were really able to communicate very well on what kind of sets she likes to hit because she likes to hit different shots.”Williams finished with five kills on a .385 hitting percentage. She played middle blocker in high school but was moved to outside hitter when she came to LSU.”She took some pressure off of people that weren’t really in a groove offensively,” said LSU coach Fran Flory.Sophomore Tania Schatow played right side when Johnson played setter, and Johnson played right side when Dabbs was setting.Schatow started the previous two matches at middle blocker.”Tania is more of a right side than she is a middle,” Flory said. “Playing Michele in the middle gave us a little more speed and a little more versatility in the middle.”LSU had three service errors in each of the first two sets but had none in the third set.”I thought we did a nice job serving,” Flory said. “They did a great job of rebalancing their attitudes and controlling the ball a little bit better.”LSU had to fight back in the first set to win, 25-22.The Tigers fell behind 9-4 but cut the deficit to 9-6 before Auburn stretched its lead to 16-11.LSU took the lead at 20-19 and didn’t relinquish it.”We were down big partially because of our own errors,” Flory said. “Once we settled down and kind of found a rhythm, then we became very efficient.”That rhythm carried into the second set, which the LSU won, 25-15.The third set was the closest of the three, with neither team leading by more than three points.Auburn tied the set at 22 on a kill by junior Jessica Glover, but LSU won the next three points for the victory.  —- Contact Robert Stewart at [email protected]