Evening all. Apologies if my review is a bit rushed tonight, but I want to get it done quickly so I can watch what's left of Sutton vs Arsenal. Tonight, we remet two teams who started the QF process as favourites, but who both found themselves outbuzzed in their preliminary. Winners would stay on for the play-offs, the runners-up return to the rock-and-roll of the campus.
Warwick trounced Liverpool and our old friends East London in the knockout rounds, but despite a strong start against our friends Emmanuel in their prelim, they were overpowered late on and lost 200-90. They were the same four we've come to know and love previously:
Sophie Hobbs, from Birmingham, studying French and History
Sophie Rudd, from Lincolnshire, studying Computer Science and its Applications
Captain: Giles Hutchings, from Farnham in Surrey, studying Maths
Thomas Van, from Geneva, studying History
Bristol won fairly comfortably against Sheffield and Oriel of Oxford in the earlier rounds, but their first prelim was one to forget for them, as Corpus Christi ran riot against them and won 250-70. They too were the same four we've met those times before:
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
Off we set again then, and Bristol began the match with Mr Rolleston being first in with 'howler', the Harry Potter clue being the giveaway! A get-able bonus set on American landmarks in film saw them take two, and unluckily miss the other. Miss Rudd opened Warwick's account with 'Kant' (no!), and the Coventry team took one bonus on Dorothy L. Sayers. A second starter for Miss Rudd plus two bonuses from a nice set on pairs of folk whose surnames and forenames are the same, like painter John Martin and astronomer royal Martin Rees, put Warwick in front. The first picture round, on maps depicting locations of battles, went to Bristol, who took two again, putting them back in front, 40-35.
Miss Jackson took the next starter for Bristol (found copy of Starter for Ten in charity shop other week!), and another two bonuses went with it. Their bonus record fell in the next set, as they only took one, unluckily missing the other due to a mispronunciation. Bristol's next bonus set was on darts, and required them to give the three dart checkout for certain numbers of points; much humourous conferring later, they had ten points! A penalty then added to Warwick's problems, as Mr Rolleston did the honours; one bonus was taken.
The music starter required two artists of two different played pieces, but neither side got both right; the bonuses, on pairs of tracks where a member of the first track produced the second, went to Bristol, who eventually took two, giving them a lead of 130-30. Mr Hutchings finally ended his side's buzzer embargo with the next starter; two bonuses on duels accompanied. A slip-up them knocked five off Bristol's lead; Warwick couldn't convert, but Miss Rudd recognised 'Khartoum' for the next starter, and two bonuses reduced the deficit to 55.
The second picture round, on paintings of fictional women, went to Warwick, who took just the one bonus, but had now closed the gap to 125-85. It then increased when Miss Rudd lost five, but Bristol couldn't pick up the points. Another starter was dropped, before Bristol lost five and Warwick picked up, but a dropped bonus set on Scottish islands meant they still stood 30 points behind.
Just one more starter would surely win it for Bristol; Miss Jackson buzzed, but was wrong, and lost five as well, albeit right on the borderline. Warwick couldn't pick up this time, but Mr Van took the next starter, and one bonus was enough to put them just ten behind! Ooh, this was so close! Next starter would surely win it. No luck on the next, both sides guessing wrong. Mr Rolleston then had the chance, but misoffered Henry V instead of Henry VIII, and lost five. Third time of asking, Miss Rudd shouted 'Fritz Lang!', and this time was correct! One correct bonus later, and that was the gong; Warwick had won it, 120-110!
A great match, with the sheer drama of the later stages more than making up for the rather low scores. Unlucky Bristol, who led almost throughout until it slipped from them right at the end, but nothing to be ashamed of at all, and a very decent series of performances, so thanks for playing. Very well done Warwick though; an excellent recovery from a seemingly hopeless position, and best of luck in your play-offs!
Mr Rolleston was best buzzer of the night with six starters, taking his final series total to 10, though Mr Tomsett was their best of the series with 14, while Miss Rudd was, again, Warwick's best with five, taking her career total to 23. On the bonuses, Warwick converted 10 out of 22 (with two penalties), while Bristol managed 12 out of 21 (with four crucial penalties); so it was a match won on the buzzer, the penalties proving key.
Next week's match: we are expecting to see Wolfson vs Edinburgh
And I am expecting to do Only Connect tomorrow or Thursday, as it finishes it's eliminators, and moves on to the qualifiers this Friday coming.
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