University Challenge 2013-14: Preliminary Quarter-Final 4: Queen's vs Southampton

It's University Challenge time again people. Tonight, the final preliminary quarter-final; after tonight, we'd know which four teams have one foot in the semis, and which four would be sent home if they lost next time.

Queen's University Belfast won a low scoring first round match over Aberdeen back in July, but redeemed themselves in Round 2 with a comfortable win over the excellent Downing College Cambridge team. They were the same foursome as before:
Suzanne Cobain, from County Down, studying History
Gareth Gamble, from Lurgan in County Armagh, studying Medicine
Captain: Joseph Greenwood, from Manchester, studying Irish Theatre
Alexander Green, from Lytham in Lancashire, studying Plasma Physics

Southampton lost their first match to SOAS (who are also in the QFs), but survived to the repechage where they comfortably beat Loughborough, before completely trouncing the good Bangor side 335-60 with the highest score of the series so far. They were also the same four as before:
David Bishop, from Reading, studying Physics 
Richard Evans, from Frimley in Surrey, studying Chemistry 
Captain: Bob De Caux, from West Sussex, studying Complex Systems Simulation 
Matt Loxham, from Preston, studying Respiratory Toxicology

With JOW and LAM readers Richard 'Cromarty(IV)' Evans and Bob De Caux on their side, Southampton had my support in that sense. But this should've been another hard to call match.

Off we set again then; Queen's hit first, and took a full set of bonuses. Southampton hit back, and also took a full set of bonuses. Indeed, we didn't get a wrong answer until the twelfth question of the night, a Southampton bonus. Like last time, Southampton seemed to be going for quick buzzes to pull away. After the first picture round, on sequences of nationalities of international roles, they had pulled away to a lead of 95-25.

And the Southampton buzzing spree continued, with Matt Loxham getting two starters in a row; he obviously didn't think his second answer was right, and was visibly surprised when it was! Paxo thought he was shaking his head in dismay at how easy it was! The side finally ground to a halt on a complicated maths starter, but Queen's couldn't capitalise, and Southampton's run promptly resumed. Soon their lead was nearly at 150, and a repeat of last time looked highly possible. Oddly, Paxo didn't give Queen's his usual reassurance that 'there was still plenty of time left', which was probably just as well!

The music starter was dropped by both sides, but Queen's finally broke back in with the next starter to take the music bonuses. Alas, they couldn't manage any bonuses, meaning they could only reduce the lead to 165-35. And off set Southampton once again, with Bob De Caux identifying a question on books with deliberate blank pages, and then getting a second starter in a row. We then got a set of bonuses on film titles containing words from the NATO alpha-bet (badum tish!); I remember we had one of these in the first three games of the series, but none since.

Gareth Gamble managed to break Queen's back into the match, and a full set of bonuses lifted them out of the Sub-50 club, and equaled Bangor's score from Southampton's last match. Bob De Caux was rather lucky to get the second picture starter after a slight pause; the bonuses, on portraits of Russian writers, allowed the side to raise their lead to 210-60, and also annoy Paxo by getting an 'easy' one wrong! Matt Loxham took the next starter for the side, and a full set of bonuses meant their lead was probably now uncatchable.

But Queen's weren't finished yet, and Suzanne Cobain took the next starter for the side. One bonus followed, before our man Richard Evans took Southampton's latest starter. Two dropped starters in a row followed, before Miss Cobain gave Queen's another starter to their name, and one bonus bought within one starter of three figures. But that was as far as they could go, as Messrs De Caux and Evans took the remaining starters. The gong went before David Bishop could get out his answer to the next starter, and Southampton's final winning margin was 290-90.

Another fine showing from Cromarty(IV) and co, and another huge win over a decent team, meaning they may now prove troublesome later on. Queen's still managed a respectable score though, and we shall see how they fare next time around.

When Queen's managed to get in, they did alright, getting 8 bonuses out of 15; Suzanne Cobain led their way with three starters. Bob De Caux was Southampton's top scorer with six starters, just ahead of Richard's five, and the side converted 28 bonuses out of 45. For the second week in a row, there were no penalties all night.

So far then, the QFs have alternated close win-trouncing-and so on. Will that continue next week, with the first qualification QF? We shall see. (Good luck opaltiger and co!)