University Challenge: Round 1: Match 13: New College vs Homerton

Before I review tonight’s match, my condolences go to the family of ex-DoND contestant Laura Williams, who has sadly passed away, after a long battle with cancer. Laura won on the show in £24,000 in July 2010. Her death was reported by regular audience member John on the forum earlier this evening. Very sad news indeed; I can only, once again, add my sympathies to those that have already been expressed.

On to UC then. New College Oxford is one of the oldest colleges in the universities, and was named as such to distinguish it from Oriel College, which had a similar full name. Alumni include Tony Benn and Hugh Grant. The college were runners-up in the first Paxman hosted series in 1994-95; their last appearance before tonight was a first round defeat to U.C.L. in 2000-01. Playing for them tonight were:

Remi Beecroft, from Letchworth in Hertfordshire, studying Psychology and Philosophy

India Lenon, from London, studying Classics

Captain: Andy Hood, from Wasperton in Warwickshire, studying PPE

Tom Cappleman, from Bracknell, studying Maths

Homerton College Cambridge became a full college of the university in 2010, but has been around in various other forms since the 1700s, where it was originally based in London. It moved to Cambridge in 1894. Alumni include Nick Hancock, Jan Ravens and Tamzin Merchant. The college reached the quarter-finals last year, and were unfortunate to become the first team to lose three matches in a series, which is a bit unfair. This year’s team were:

Jack Hooper, from Althrincham in Cheshire, studying Natural Sciences

Michael Angland, from Cork, studying Arabic and Spanish

Captain: Luke Fitzgerald, from Hadley in Suffolk, studying History

Drew Miley, from Durham, studying Maths

New College began the match stronger, getting the first three starters. Homerton soon got going too, and scored a full set on their first bonuses. The first picture round was on knots, and when no-one identified a reef knot, Paxo remarked ‘none of you were in the boy scouts obviously!’

Though Homerton came close to catching them a couple of times, New College managed to maintain a slender lead throughout the second phase. After the music round, they led 115-85. Homerton reduced the gap again, but New College then pulled away again, and began to pull away, with Mr Cappleman displaying particularly good buzzer ability.

After the second picture round, New College led 170-105, and, when Homerton buzzed too early on the next starter, they looked home and dry. The best Homerton could hope for now was to get enough points to get into contention for the repechage. A couple more starters, and a few of the resulting bonuses gave them the points they needed. At the gong, New College won by 230-145.

Not a terribly exciting affair, but both sides gave a good account of themselves. New College could do well this year with a favourable draw; Tom Cappleman finished with a very respectable eight starters, and the side managed 19 bonuses out of 39. Homerton will be back in the repechage; Michael Angland and Luke Fitzgerald got three starters each, which helped the side to 14 bonuses out of 24. Both sides incurred one penalty.

Safely through to the repechage: Lincoln College Oxford (175); Homerton College Cambridge, King’s College Cambridge (145)

Next week’s match: Warwick vs Aberdeen in the final first round match. Good to see my local uni back on the show after just over ten years; but it does mean that Edinburgh will not be competing for the first time since 1998-99!

Only Connect arrived at the quarter-finals tonight, so the already hard level of questions went up by one, and Victoria Coren got a bit stricter with her leeway. The connecting walls were rather hard as well.