University Challenge 2014-15: Round 2: Match 7: Selwyn vs St Peter's

Evening all. We're back to normal service now, as we resume the regular series with the penultimate second round match, as we re-met two teams we first met back in the dead of summer.

Selwyn College Cambridge shocked us all by defeating Manchester (The Team Everyone Wants To Beat) in the first match of the series back in July, winning 190-160. Hoping for similar good fortune were the unchanged team of:
Afham Raoof, from Colchester, studying Natural Sciences
Hannah Warwicker, from Huddersfield, studying Classics
Captain: Joshua Pugh Ginn, from Manchester, studying Classics
Charles Cooper, from Bedford, studying Natural Sciences

St Peter's College Oxford defeated Sussex 205-150 five weeks later, in a controversial match where Paxo appeared to let them off with a borderline answer but not the opposition, a matter that has since been clarified. They too were unchanged from before:
John Armitage, from Lancaster, studying Maths
Ed Roberts, from London, studying History
Captain: Gabriel Trueblood, from London, studying Medicine
Spike Smith, from Maidenhead, studying Maths

Off we set again then, and Gabriel Trueblood, who had almost single handedly run up his teams' score in the first round, took the first starter of the match. And the second. And the third. His side took two bonuses from the first two sets, but none of the third, though they were unlucky to miss two of them. Selwyn finally kicked off on the next starter courtesy of Mr Raoof, and they took two bonuses. The first picture round, on locations of F1 circuits that hosted another nation's grand prix, also went to Selwyn, and allowed them to cut the Oxford side's lead to 50-30.

St Peter's increased the lead shortly though, as Mr Roberts took his first starter of the series. Selwyn lost five to a slip up on the next starter, but St Peter's couldn't pick it up. Mr Smith took the next starter though, and the side took a full bonus set on pairs of words formed by adding a D on the end. (Haven't had one of those for a while.) St Peter's broke into triple figures with the next starter, despite failing to pick up another Selwyn slip-up. The Cambridge side did manage a third starter, and were unlucky to only manage one bonus on a set on 1960s films.

The music starter saw Miss Warwicker identify Mendelsohn's Hebrides overture in less than half a second; the bonuses, on works by Russians inspired by other nations, allowed Selwyn to cut the deficit to 110-55. Mr Trueblood very quickly shot in on the next starter, and the side took one bonus. While conferring, like in the first match, Mr Trueblood habitually fiddled with his hoodie toggles, something I can relate to due to the trouble I've had playing with my hair this past year. Selwyn took two starters in a row and three of the six bonuses, and had very quietly cut the gap to a reachable 35 points.

The second picture round, on nocturnal paintings, went to St Peter's after the starter was dropped, and they took all three bonuses to extend the gap to 150-90. And when Mr Trueblood took the next starter and the side converted all three bonuses, it now looked unlikely that Selwyn would be able to bridge the gap this time. As if to confirm this, Mr Roberts took the next starter ans two bonuses followed.

Mr Trueblood wasn't finished yet, and took yet another starter identifying, as I did, Carter as one of three post-war incumbent presidents (apart from Bush Sr) not to be re-elected. The Oxford side took all three bonuses, but surrendered five points to a slip-up, not that it mattered. Selwyn did manage one final starter, which lifted them into triple figures, which was no more than they deserved. At the gong, St Peter's won 235-100.

A pretty well played match overall, even if it wasn't that close. Bad luck to Selwyn, who, as Paxo said, were good when they got in but never really gathered momentum; well done to them anyway on two respectable and unashamed efforts. Well done though to St Peter's on another fine showing against steady opposition, and a good draw could see them cause trouble in the QFs.

Gabriel Trueblood was, again, the best buzzer of the night, this time with seven starters, while Mr Raoof was best for Selwyn with a respectable five. On the bonuses, Selwyn converted 8 out of 19 (with two penalties) and St Peter's an impressive 24 out of 36 (with one penalty).

Next week's match: Oxford Brookes vs U.C.L. (good luck asphinctersays!)

Only Connect resumed tonight as well, with a close match, and an amusing missing vowels round on 'apple products' with clues of 'IPOD TOUCH' and MACBOOK AIR' followed by 'CIDER' and 'TOFFEE APPLE'!