University Challenge 2017-18: Elimination Quarter-Final 2: Fitzwilliam vs Emmanuel

Evening all. In a good mood tonight, so was up for a good game tonight, and thankfully we got one to boot! Two Cambridge sides, both of whom had certainly shown a great deal of promise in the earlier rounds, but who had both come unstuck in somewhat different ways in their preliminaries. Winners would survive to play Newcastle on Easter Monday, runners-up would bow out.

Fitzwilliam scored 200 in both their earlier matches, firstly against Leicester, and then Magdalen of Oxford, before Merton recovered from a slow start to overpower them in their prelim, winning 270-125. Hoping to bounce back from that tonight were the unchanged four of:
Theo Tindall, from Backwell near Bristol, studying Russian and Arabic 
Theo Howe, from Forest Hill in Oxfordshire, studying Japanese Studies 
Captain: Hugh Oxlade, from South Woodford in London, studying History 
Jack Maloney, from Harpenden in Hertfordshire, studying Medicine

Emmanuel also, I've just realised, scored the same score in the first two rounds, a close win over St Hugh's of Oxford followed by an easier win over Strathclyde, but they were narrowly pipped by Edinburgh in their prelim match. Also hoping for a prompt recovery were the also unchanged line-up of:
Ed Derby, from Manchester, studying Physics   
Kitty Chevallier, from Hampshire, studying Arabic and Hindi   
Captain: Alex Mistlin, from Islington, studying Politics and International Relations   
James Fraser, from Bristol, studying Medicine

Off we set again then, and Ms Chevallier won the race to the buzzer on the first starter, with many trying to buzz in as Paxo read out the trigger words; one bonus from a tough bonus set requiring an author and the decade the book in question was published followed. Mr Derby kept up Emmanuel's prompt start with the next starter, and footballers who shared their name with US presidents proved more to their liking, taking a full house. Fitzwilliam opened their accounts on the next starter, Mr Oxlade doing the honours with 'John of Gaunt', but bonuses on genetics failed to add to their score. The first picture round, on maps showing cities with a shared final letter, went to Fitzwilliam, who this time took a full house, reducing the gap to 40-35.

A second starter in a row from Mr Maloney gave then gave them the lead, and unlocked an amusing bonus set on Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch, of which they took two, and sadly the inevitable 'Pining for the Fjords' answer was not correct! Mr Maloney again came in for Fitzwilliam on the next starter, and a full house of bonuses, that Mr Oxlade pretty much dealt with by himself, increased their advantage to double Emmanuel's score. Mr Fraser decided that was enough though, taking his side back into the game, and they too took a full bonus set, on Icarus in popular culture. Emmanuel's right winger then took a second starter in a row, and one bonus put them level pegging. Fitzwilliam quickly took the lead back though, and an amusing bonus set on feuds between writers gave them two correct answers.

The music round, on rock music guitar solos, went to Emmanuel, who took one bonus, and sent Twitter into meltdown on another by mistaking Led Zeppelin's 'immortal' Stairway to Heaven for Oasis! They thus trailed 100-95, but retook the lead with the next starter, though someone on Twitter has claimed Fitzwilliam's wrong answer may have been correct; the bonuses allowed Mr Fraser the pleasure of offering his own name as a correct answer! An unlucky penalty then handed Fitzwilliam back possession though, and they took the lead back with a full house of bonuses. Vice versa then, as Fitzwilliam slipped up, and Emmanuel picked up; two bonuses followed, in what was turning into a back and forth match.

The second picture round, on stills from films whose directed also acted in them, went to Fitzwilliam, who took another full house, which gave them the lead back 145-130. Ms Chevallier bit straight back for Emmanuel though, but her side drew a blank on bonuses on the coordinates of peaks. Nonetheless, with just five in it, this looked like a grandstand final straight.

Mr Tindall blinked first, with 'Kyrgyzstan', and his side took two bonuses on helium, giving them a match winning advantage if they could take the next starter. But Ms Chevallier took it instead, keeping her side in the game, but they missed a set of bonuses they really needed at least one of. Just for added tension, the next starter was dropped. And the one after as well! But when Mr Maloney answered 'clan' on the next, that was game over. No time for any bonus answers; at the gong, Fitzwilliam won 175-150.

An excellent close match between two evenly matched sides, well played both! Unlucky Emmanuel, just missing out right at the end, but no shame on a repectable series of performances, thanks for playing! Well done Fitzwilliam though, and best of luck in the play-offs!

The stats: Messrs Maloney and Fraser were joint best buzzer of the night, with four each for their respective sides, Mr Fraser ends Emmanuel's campaign their best buzzer with 14 over four matches. On the bonuses, Fitzwilliam converted a strong 18 out of 25, while Emmanuel managed 13 out of 27, with both sides incurring one penalty, so, after a run of matches decided on the buzzer, it was the bonuses that decided this one.

Next week's match: Bristol vs Edinburgh, followed by Newcastle vs Fitzwilliam

Only Connect moved on to its qualifier matches tonight, blog of which I hope to bring you by the end of the week.