University Challenge 2017-18: Semi-Final 2: Merton vs Newcastle

Evening all. So, the penultimate match of the series, with two teams who've both pulled off some great performances to get this far, and who'd both be deserved finalists, as they play St John's next week. Whichever team won would give us an interesting match up: one team had lost to them already, albeit narrowly, the other we'd been anticipating against St John's since the first round. So, which way would it go?

Merton College Oxford have made it this far undefeated, and been very consistent too, scoring over 200 on each occasion as they saw of King's of London, Oxford Brookes, Fitzwilliam of Cambridge and fellow semi-finalists Edinburgh in the quarter-final. Hoping to keep alive their hopes of a second UC title (having beaten Stephen Fry's Queens' Cambridge team to the title in 1980) were the unchanged foursome of:
Edward Thomas, from Kent, studying Ancient and Modern History  
Alexander Peplow, from Amersham in Buckinghamshire, studying Medieval Studies  
Captain: Leonie Woodland, from Cambridge, studying Physics  
Akira Wiberg, from Sweden and Japan, studying Molecular and Cellular Medicine

Newcastle got off to a slow start with a low scoring win over Sheffield Hallam, then hit top gear with good wins over Southampton and Bristol, only just falling short against St John's, and then also beating Fitzwilliam comfortably in the play-offs. Hoping to kill off a fifth Oxbridge final in a row were the also unchanged quartet of:
Jack Reynard, from Leeds, studying Medicine  
Molly Nielsen, from London, studying Medicine  
Captain: Jonathan Noble, from Newcastle, studying for a PGCE  
Adam Lowery, from Sunderland, studying Chemistry

Off we set again then, and Mr Peplow opened the night's scoring with 'Figaro', and his side set the ball rolling with two bonuses. Neither side took the next starter, though they did sort of get the right answer between the two of them. Mr Peplow then took a second starter, and a full bonus set on that old quiz staple, the Nobel Physics Prize, gave them a full house. Mr Noble set Newcastle off the mark, and they proved they weren't going to lay over as they took two bonuses. The first picture round, on emblems of US presidents alma maters, including Mr D. Trump, went to Merton, who took another two correct answers, giving them a lead of 65-20. 

Merton then very harshly lost five after Mr Peplow offered 'church visiting' instead of 'church going', and it was close enough to be considered an interruption too, even though it wasn't really. Newcastle then lost five for, what was definitely this time, an interruption, and Merton did pick up, but got nothing from the resultant bonuses. Mr Peplow took a second starter in a row though, and they made up somewhat with a full bonus set on Greek myth. Another five were then lost though, and Newcastle took possession back, and they too took a full set of bonuses, keeping them in contention when the match looked to have been getting away from them. 

The music round, on classical music of the 1930s, 40s and 50s, went to Newcastle, who took a second full set in a row, which reduced the gap to 90-65. A third starter in a row then went the Tynesiders' way, but a tough bonus set requiring words to be spelt saw them take just one bonus. Ms Nielsen then had something of a rush of blood to the head as she buzzed then failed to answer, losing five; Merton took the points, and two of the resultant bonuses. Two more starters were then dropped, including an unfortunate repeat incident from Ms Nielsen which Paxo seemed to feel sorry for her over. Mr Wiberg then added another ten to Merton's score, putting them in poll position heading into the home straight. 

The second picture round, on French realist paintings, went to Newcastle, who took the full set they needed to keep them in the game, the gap now stood at 130-95. Mr Wiberg then took yet another starter though, and a full set of bonuses might just have been enough to put the game out of reach. 

And when Ms Woodland took the next starter, that was game over. Two bonuses followed. Ms Nielsen deservedly took Newcastle into triple figures, and her side took two of the resultant bonuses. That was as far as they could go though, as Ms Woodland took another starter, and almost single handedly banged out a full set of bonuses. There was time for Mr Wiberg to take the final starter, and for all the resultant bonuses, with one of them taken. At the gong, Merton won 215-110.

Another good match, with both sides playing very well considering the difficulty at this stage, and bravo for applauding each other at the end. Unlucky Newcastle, but nothing to be ashamed of getting this far, a fine series of performances, thanks very much for giving us them. Very well done Merton though, and very very best of luck in the final next week!

The stats: Mr Wiberg was the best buzzer of the night, with six starters under his belt, while Ms Nielsen was Newcastle's best with three, though Mr Noble finishes their campaign their best buzzer, with 22 in total. On the bonuses, Merton converted a good 23 out of 33 (with two penalties), while Newcastle managed a very good 14 out of 18 (with a not so very good four penalties), so it was a game won on the buzzer.

Next week: the final! St John's vs Merton, and, on paper, it promises to be a cracker; best of luck both teams! A preview coming up later this week, I hope.

As will, hopefully, be my review of tonight's first Only Connect semi-final. Right, now off for a much needed rest!