University Challenge 2018-19: Round 1: Match 7: York vs St Edmund Hall

Evening all. Well, despite the heat last night, I think we can say summer is officially over now. Not least because Pointless has resumed. I do hope !mpossible gets another run in the 5:15 slot though, have enjoyed that in its slot over the summer. Regular viewers may have noticed UC and OC alumnus and LAM reader Rachael Neiman on it last week, winning Wednesday night's show. Now, on with tonight's business.

The University of York (not 'York University', that's in Toronto) is a plate glass uni founded in 1963, nearly 350 years after James VI, as I know him, first suggested founding one there. Alumni include writers Anthony Horowitz and Graeme Swift, former DPM Harriet Harman, journalist Kevin Maguire and comedian Zoe Lyons. It has regularly sent teams to UC this century, last year's team unluckily losing heavily in the first round. This year's four were:
Nils Boender, from Leiden in the Netherlands, studying History
Danny Bate, from South Norfolk, studying Linguistics
Captain: William Blackett, from Sunderland, studying History
Francesco Palazzo, from London and North Yorkshire, studying Medicine

St Edmund Hall is one of the oldest colleges in Oxford, founded in its current form in 1278. Alumni include Shadow Brexit Bulldog Sir Keir Starmer, writer and actress Emma Kennedy and comedians Terry Jones, Stewart Lee and Al Murray. It has only sent two prior teams to UC; one reached the second round, the other went out in the first. This year's quartet were:
Agastya Pisharody, from India and Basel, studying Material Science
Marceline Bresson, from the Netherlands, studying Economics and Management
Captain: Freddie Leo, from Berlin, studying History
Lizzie Fry, from Worcestershire, studying Geography

Off we set again then, and Mr Pisharody took the first starter of the night, on one of his home countries; winners at the 2017 BAFTAs provided them with a full set to start with. Mr Leo waited his moment on the next starter before it became apparent that Belgium was the country sought after. Just the one bonus followed this time (I got 'The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side'), but the St Edmund Hall captain took a second starter in a row, and festivals in Hinduism proved more fruitful, a full set there. The first picture round, on pairs of cities named after saints, went to York, who also opened their account with a full house, leaving the scores at 65-25.

Mr Leo took already his third starter of the still young match, recognising the settings of operas by Wagner; two bonuses followed. Mr Bate then unluckily lost five for misunderstanding the question, and for buzzing just as Paxo was finishing the question; Mr Leo needed no invite to pick up, and one bonus was sufficient to take his side into three figures. The next two starters were dropped, one of which saw neither side able to spell Stephenie Meyer's name, both incorrectly inserting an A into her forename. Mr Pisharody finally stopped the rot, and with the ensuing bonuses, St Edmund Hall now had a three figure lead.

It increased when Mr Leo identified Rossini's Barber of Seville for the music starter; the bonuses, on other overtures by him, gave St Edmund Hall two correct answers, and a lead of 145-20. It increased again when York dropped another five, but Mr Blackett then finally broke his side back into the game with 'Nancy Mitford'. Just one bonus, on creators of video games, followed, but the York captain then took a second starter in a row, answering 'Germany' after Mr Leo missed a chance to namecheck his home country a la our old friend Filip Drnovsek Zorko! Two bonuses were followed by a third starter in a row to York, but enzyme inhibition proved too tough a bonus set for them. Mr Pisharody decided they'd had enough possession and took the next starter, and two bonuses followed again.

The second picture round, on Old Master paintings that failed to sell at auction, went to St Edmund Hall, who took another two correct answers, giving them a lead of 185-60. Mr Palazzo took another starter for York, and the side took a full set of bonuses. A bit late now to catch their opponents, but could they score high enough to maybe reach the play-offs?

Mr Leo didn't seem to want to let then as he took his latest starter; his side took the one bonus needed to take them to 200. The Oxford captain then provided a further call back to a certain previous winning team by identifying 'Jean Luc Godard', and two bonuses went their way once again. And Mr Leo wasn't finished yet, taking the next starter, but no bonuses followed this time. Mr Palazzo took another starter for York with 'Black Mirror', and a full bonus set on African countries that border just two others gave them a full house and deservedly took them into three figures. That was as high as they could go though, slipping up and allowing Ms Fry to take the final starter of the game. No time for bonuses; at the gong, St Edmund Hall won 240-105.

Another high quality match well played by both sides. Unlucky York, simply outbuzzed tonight, but a fine effort nonetheless and a respectable score to go out on, thanks to them for playing. Very well done St Edmund Hall though, and best of luck to them in the next round! A strong first showing against good opponents, could be dark horses.

The stats: Mr Leo was by far the night's best buzzer, finishing with NINE(!) to his name, while Messrs Bate, Blackett and Palazzo all took two for York. On the bonuses, York converted a good 12  out of 18 (with three penalties), while St Edmund Hall managed an also good 22 out of 36. Both good rates that, so, again, it was decided mainly on the buzzer. Well played both sides!

Next week's match: Edinburgh vs Sidney Sussex College Cambridge