University Challenge 2023-24: Round 1: Match 10: Sheffield vs Loughborough

Good evening again my friends, and welcome back to JOW for another Quizzy Mondays! Another fine Monday in quizland tonight, as we're now well settled into the Autumnal quizzing season of all three on Monday night, plus Brain of Britain in the afternoon. As far as UC is concerned, the new series under the new regime has been a success so far, for most, as is shaping up very nicely indeed with plenty of promising looking teams. What would tonight bring?

Sheffield appeared 15 times in the Paxo era, reaching the final in 2007-08 and the semis twice, including the 2010-11 team of our old friends Tris Cole and Hugh Bennett, but its last two appearances, 19-20 and last series, were both very unlucky first round defeats, both on tie-breaks, followed by defeat in the play-offs. This year's foursome were:

Safia Rujak, from Plymouth, studying History

Joseph McGough, from Coventry, studying Spanish

Captain: Cameron Colclough, from Sheffield, studying Biophysics

Matthew Nail, from Blyth, studying Philosophy 

Loughborough, in contrast, only made two appearances under the old regime, the first a very high scoring second round defeat to eventual runners-up St John's Oxford in 2009-10, the other, ten series ago, seeing them lose in the play-offs to the Southampton team of our old friend Richard Evans. This year's quartet were:

James Jones, from Luton, studying Mathematical Sciences

Rachael Alvey, from Southwell in Nottinghamshire, studying English with Creative Writing

Captain: Tudor Simmons, from London, studying Psychology

Milan Campion, from Nottingham, studying Sport Management, Politics and International Development

So, off we set once again then and, for the second week in a row, we started the game with one side losing five straight away, but the other side not capitalising. Sheffield quickly put that behind them though, as they took the first three correct starters and quickly pulled away into a decent early lead. Loughborough got off the mark with the first picture round, on UK Sites of Special Scientific Interest, taking two bonuses, which took the scores to 50-15. Another starter to Loughborough plus a full bonus set brought them within touching distance, but Sheffield then pushed further ahead with a starter and full set of their own, and never looked back. Already, all four Sheffield players had at least one starter to their name, and, all of a sudden, their lead was nearly at 100 points. After the music round, on pop songs recorded at the artist's home using their own equipment, which they took another perfect 25 on, Sheffield led 160-40.

And that lead was just getting bigger and bigger as Mr Nail ensured all four Steelmen had at least two correct starters to their name; just one bonus followed, ditto their next set, but it mattered not given they were already out of sight. Mr Campion did the right thing and had an early punt on the next starter, but only managed to lose five; Sheffield, in contrast, pushed past 200 with the next starter and their lead was nearly at that too. After the second picture round, on stills from 'post-horror' films, Sheffield led 255-35. Loughborough finally broke back into the game as Mr Campion finally gave them a third correct starter, and two bonuses on nominative determinism ensured they wouldn't be joining the Sub-50 club. In fact, Loughborough actually had a very good late rally, taking four starters in a row and a solid haul of bonuses that took them into three figures. What a shame it came too late to get them into contention for the play-offs. Sheffield did take the final starter, and the one bonus there was time for, and that was the gong; Sheffield won 290-115.

Another one sided, but most enjoyable contest, two good teams making it so. Very well done Sheffield, a very impressive first performance, with all four players getting at least three starters right, and a deserved one too given how unlucky their last two teams were; best of luck in the next round! Hard lines to Loughborough, who proved themselves a solid team with that impressive late flourish and would've certainly won against another opponent; thanks for playing!

The stats: Ms Rujak and Mr Campion were the joint best buzzers of the night with five each for their respective teams. On the bonuses, Sheffield managed a solid 29 out of 43 (with one penalty) and Loughborough a very good 13 out of 18 (with two penalties).

Next week's match: Warwick vs Wolfson Cambridge

Only Connect continued with its second eliminator match seeing the returns of Drop of Red and the Suncatchers. The latter led 6-4 after the first round, before the former pulled it level on 12-each after the second. A better wall gave the Suncatchers the lead back 22-19 going into Missing Vowels, and they ran away with it there to win 29-20.

 

Mastermind was won by UC and OC alumnus George Twigg, who won a close contest with 23 points, two ahead of second placed Arijit Goveas with 21, with Anna Lister just behind on 20 and Sharon Malley not far off either with 18.

 

Brain of Britain was a very close contest indeed, with all four contenders within two points of each other, until after the Beat the Brains interval, after which Brian Leddy ran away a bit and won with 12 points, five clear of Tracey Lambert and Gareth Williams joint second with 7 each; Julia Mayer completed the line-up with 5.