University Challenge 2014-15: Play-Off Quarter-Final 1: Bristol vs Magdalen

Evening all. We're nearly there now; just four more matches after tonight. More football over on BBC1, and more moaning from EastEnders fans, who say the football should go on a special sports channel, or on BBC2. Sorry you lot; with both UC and Only Connect in the serious stages, that is definitely not an option! Whoever won tonight would take the third place in the semi-finals.

Bristol defeated the Courtauld and L.S.H.T.M. in the early rounds, before making up for a preliminary loss to Liverpool by beating our friends Oxford Brookes in the eliminators. Hoping to repeat that success tonight were the unchanged foursome of:
Lewis Rendell, from Saffron Walden, studying Maths
Benjamin Moon, from Bath, studying Geology researching Ichthyosaur Systematics and Taxonomy
Captain: Anastasia Reynolds, from Leytonstone in London, studying Czech and Russian
Miles Coleman, from North London, studying Spanish and Portuguese

Magdalen College Oxford defeated Pembroke College Cambridge, the OU and Trinity College Cambridge early on, but fell short of a Cambridge hat-trick after a superb fightback from Caius in the qualifiers. Hoping not to make that mistake again were the also unchanged quarter of:
Harry Gillow, from Stone in Staffordshire, studying Classics
Chris Savory, from Burgess Hill in West Sussex, studying Chemistry
Captain: Hugh Binnie, from Cheltenham, studying Chemistry
Cameron J. Quinn, from Los Angeles, studying Philosophy and French

Off we set again then, and Chris Savory took the first starter of the night, and his side showed they meant business by taking a full set of bonuses on border cities. Another starter from Mr Savory and another full bonus set, and Bristol's already tough task was starting to look impossible. As if to further hammer this home, Mr Quinn took the next starter, and all three bonuses went with that as well. Bristol finally got off the mark on the next starter, but only one bonus followed that. The first picture round, on places in Britain linked by their first three letters, went to Magdalen, eventually, and gave them a lead of 90-15.

Mr Savory struck again on the next starter, and the bonuses allowed the Oxonians to break three figures. The next starter went to Mr Quinn, which gave them a three figure lead, and unlocked a set of bonuses on Harrys, Rons and Hermiones in Shakespeare, which Paxo couldn't keep a straight face at! ("God, this is laboured!") More hilarity followed as the next starter required a spelling, which neither side got the right stick end of, and then Mr Coleman suggested Millwall were against banning shin kicking! Mr Quinn was unlucky to slip up on the next starter, before Mr Binnie broke the drop run, but only one bonus followed.

The music round, on etudes, including Paganini's Theme to the South Bank Show, went to Bristol, but they had some catching up to do, trailing 145-40. The Avonsiders now began to fight back, a second starter and full bonus set in a row. Another starter went to Bristol, and two bonuses followed (the third unluckily being missed), and the lead had dropped significantly. A slip-up from Magdalen, a pick-up from Bristol, two bonuses, and the lead was down to just 35. Mr Gillow had had enough of that, and promptly took the next starter to ease Magdalen's position, and two bonuses followed.

The second picture round, on double Pulitzer prize winners, went to Magdalen, and allowed them to up their lead to 175-105. Both sides had had a great night on the bonuses, with Magdalen's quicker buzzer figure proving the key. Mr Binnie took the next starter, and a full bonus set on fictional Oxbridge colleges brought them up to 200. Bristol broke back in with the next starter, but just one bonus followed.

The next starter asked for a piece of Roman numeral arithmetic; Mr Binnie worked it out, and all three bonuses followed. Magdalen now looked home and dry, and Mr Gillow confirmed this by taking the next starter. Just one bonus followed, but it didn't matter, as Bristol slipped up on the next starter, and Mr Quinn took the final one of the match just in time. At the gong, Magdalen won 250-115.

The result we probably all expected, but very high scoring and high quality from both sides. Unlucky Bristol, but a very gallant effort, and well done on a very respectable series of performances. Well done to Magdalen though, and best of luck to them in the semis. Their win does mean, however, that whoever wins next week, the four semi-finalist teams will all be all male. Oh dear; I know certain media sectors will not be pleased to find that out.

Messrs Binnie and Quinn were joint best buzzers of the night, with four each, while Mr Coleman's three were Bristol's best. On the bonuses, Bristol converted a respectable 12 out of 18 (with one late penalty) and Magdalen a brilliant 26 out of 36 (with two penalties); both great rates, which goes to show what a good quality match this was, even if it wasn't that close.

Next week's match: Liverpool vs Durham, then we're into the home straight!

OC is already into its home straight, and we now know the first semi-finalists. Hopefully, I'll be able to summarise both semis sometime next week.