Evening all. And Happy New Year! Back to regular service we go, as resume where we left off, with two second round matches to go before the ever popular group phase. Not the fixture we thought we'd have tonight, but we do, nonetheless, welcome back two teams who have waited more than long enough for their second fixture, having won their first back in heart of summer.
Bristol won the first match of the series back in July (when David C. was still prime minister!), defeating Sheffield 210-130, and looking decent on both the buzzer and the bonuses in the process. They were unchanged from that long ago occasion:
Joe Rolleston, from Tamworth, studying History
Claire Jackson, from Carshalton in London, studying Paleontology and Evolution
Captain: Alice Clarke, from Oxford, studying Medicine
Michael Tomsett, from Hinckley, studying Organic Chemistry
Oriel College Oxford last joined us four weeks later, inflicting a second consecutive first round exit on Manchester, winning 150-95, and giving us probably the best UC answer of 2016 in 'COLE PORTER?!'! They too were unchanged from that time:
Eoin Monaghan, from Banbridge in County Down, studying PPE
Alec Siantonas, from Cambridge, studying Philosophy
Captain: Nathan Helms, from Dallas, studying Philosophy
Tobias Thornes, from Hadzor in Worcestershire, studying Atmospheric Physics
Off we set again then, and Mr Rolleston had the honour of taking the first starter of 2017; a full set of bonuses on European languages showed that they were up for it tonight. A second starter to the Avonsiders, a second full bonus set, and already things were looking ominous. Sensing this, Mr Siantonas stepped in with Oriel's first starter of the night, and two bonuses on writers' middle names followed it. A Bristol slip-up went unpicked up, before the Avonsiders made the points back with that old UC staple, the NATO alphabet. The first picture round, on provinces of the Netherlands, went to Bristol, who took ten bonus points, which put them 85-20 in front.
Mr Thornes put a stop to that when he took Oriel's second starter of the match, and they took one of the resultant bonuses, unluckily missing the other two. The Oxonians then took a second starter in a row, and a bonus set on principles in physics provided them with a further ten points. Mr Tomsett broke the run and took possession back to Bristol, but the side uncharacteristically dropped all the resultant bonuses, on the Lake District; one of them asked for how much rain fell in Cumbria last December! Clearly no Carlisle fans on that team!
The music round, on violin concertos by German composers, went to Bristol, who only took one bonus; I knew one of the others, and had heard the other on an app on my Mum's iPad, but couldn't remember who it was! The Avonsiders now led 110-55, and that lead increased as Mr Tomsett took his latest starter; a bonus set on the works of Virginia Woolf provided them with a further ten. Miss Jackson followed this up by stumbling over her answer for the next starter, but Paxo knew what she meant and they got the points. A further ten meant they now had a potential match winning lead. Right on cue, Mr Siantonas came in to take Oriel back into the match, and Chinese history provided them with two correct bonuses.
The second picture round, on actresses portraying Cleopatra, went to Bristol, who took just the one bonus this time, but they still comfortably led 165-75. And when Mr Tomsett took the next starter, putting the lead at 100, you sensed that was game over. Bonuses on Northern Irish counties added ten to their score, and a very quick buzz from Mr Tomsett, coupled with a full bonus set, almost certainly put the match out of the Oxonians' reach.
Mr Helms did nonetheless valiantly try to break his side back into the match, but only succeeded in losing five points. Mr Monaghan tried his luck on the next, but missed, and Miss Jackson did the honours. Two bonuses added to their score, but the scores were purely academic now. Another starter to Mr Tomsett, two more bonuses, which they took their time with, much to Paxo's annoyance! (Angriest 'Come on!' I've heard for a while) One starter and correct bonus later, the gong put the match out of its misery. Bristol won 265-70.
An excellent start to the year, even if it was rather one sided. Unlucky Oriel, who were simply outbuzzed by a stronger team, but no shame in that at all, and thanks very much indeed for two entertaining outings! Very well done to Bristol though; a second strong win, could be dark horses for the group phase, so good luck to them in it!
Mr Tomsett was, by far and away, the best buzzer of the night, with an impressive seven to his name, while Mr Siantonas was best for Oriel with two. On the bonuses, Bristol converted an impressive 26 out of 42, while Oriel managed a respectable 7 out of 12, and both sides incurred one penalty.
Next week's match: by process of elimination, it must be Corpus Christi vs Peterhouse. And then we arrive at the group phase.
Only Connect has, of course, jumped ship and moved to Friday nights, so expect my review on Sunday or next Tuesday.
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