Evening all. So, we've arrived at the second round. The round everyone dreads, as it's the round where defeat means instant elimination. The prize for winning though is at least two further games, which also makes it the most hotly contested round. As I've said many times over the years, its not the fairest system, but I don't know of a way round it that wouldn't drag the series beyond our patience. Still thinking though. Anyway, on with the show.
St Peter's College Oxford easily defeated Pembroke College Cambridge in their first match; a close one at first, they drew away in the second half as the buzzers fell for them and largely against their opponents, eventually winning 225-50. Hoping for more of the same tonight were the unchanged foursome of:
James Hodgson, from Uxbridge in London, studying Statistics
Seb Braddock, from Geneva, studying History
Captain: Nick Williford, from Maynardville, Tennessee, studying History
Laura Cooper, from Stockport, studying Biological Sciences
Emmanuel College Cambridge, appearing for the second time in three weeks, lost their first game to Glasgow, but bounced back nicely in their play-off against King's of London, a sprint in the second quarter mainly responsible for their 235-140 victory on that occasion. Also hoping to carry on this momentum were the also unchanged four of:
Connor MacDonald, from New Brunswick, Canada, studying Politics
Vedanth Nair, from Kings Lynn, studying Economics
Captain: Daniella Cugini, from Warwick, studying English
Ben Harris, from Bath, studying Geology
Off we set again then, and Emmanuel picked up where they left off two weeks ago, Mr MacDonald correctly offering 'The Giants Causeway' (my main knowledge of which comes from a Kipling style book about its formation I had as a kid); the Cambridge side firmly set their stall out with a full set of bonuses. St Peter's set off the wrong way with a penalty, but Emmanuel failed to pick up. Mr Hodgson moved his side back into positives with 'cell', and one bonus on authors was taken (same one I took, and I knew John Arbuthnot as soon as they said it). Alas, they then incurred another penalty, which, again, their opponents didn't pick up. A second starter was dropped, Mr Nair took the next, and his side took one bonus on WHO medicine lists. The first picture round, on pairs of sonnets spliced together, went to St Peter's, who, again, took a solitary bonus, leaving them trailing 40-20.
Ms Cugini increased that lead by identifying Fermi as the physicist after whom element 100 is named; bonuses on feminism in 1991, again, offered them one correct answer. St Peter's were promptly back in, and also took a sole bonus from an amusing set on mispronunciations. Mr Nair came back in for Emmanuel, and German grand duchies proved more to the Cambridge side's liking, taking a full set. Their better bonus rate seemed to be the difference between the teams thus far.
The music round, on scat singing jazz (a set I suspect our old friend Adam 'Bangor' Pearce might've liked), went to Emmanuel, who took just the one bonus, but had no increased their lead to 95-35. Ms Cooper promptly took her side back into possession with 'DNA', and, once again, the side took a single bonus. Mr Nair took his side into three figures by offering 'Richard III' just after I'd worked it out too; astrophysics once again provided just a single correct bonus. Back came St Peter's with Mr Williford doing the honours, but they got nothing from a bonus set on the work of poet Dorothy Coade Hewett. Mr MacDonald was first in next with 'The Aga Khan', and, once again, only a solitary bonus, on books by prime ministers (same one I got), followed. But when Mr Harris took the next starter, the bonuses finally went for Emmanuel again, a full set on chemistry. And given how the bonuses hadn't been falling for their opponents thus far, that might just put them beyond reach.
The second picture round, on record breaking athletes, went to St Peter's, who took two bonuses, reducing their arrears to 150-80. But when Mr MacDonald very quickly buzzed in with 'Nietzche' on the next starter, you suspected the match was beyond them, even though their opponents only added one bonus on best foreign film Oscar winners. Mr Nair all but confirmed his side's win by taking the next starter, and you thus fancied it didn't matter that no bonuses followed.
Neither side identified the River Clyde for the next starter; Ms Cooper took the next for St Peter's, and a single bonus on dog breeds just about summed up their night. (I got shih tzu) Ms Cugini cemented her side's win with 'mirror', and a full bonus set on dystopian fiction took them to 200. A penalty dropped them back from it though; Mr Williford picked up the drop, and his side went out with a bang, taking a full bonus set on national flags. And that was the gong, Emmanuel won 195-120.
Another good match, decided on the buzzer, but mainly on the bonuses I feel. Unlucky St Peter's, unlucky to be going out at this stage, but still a respectable performance to go out on, thanks very much for playing! Very well done to Emmanuel, though, on a third good showing against good opponents, and best of luck in the group stage!
The stats: Messrs MacDonald, Nair and Williford were the joint best buzzers of the night, with four each. On the bonuses, St Peter's converted 10 out of 24 (with two penalties), while Emmanuel managed 18 out of 33 (with one penalty), so it was indeed a slightly better buzzer and bonus rate that won them the game.
Next week's match: don't know yet, but I'm guessing that Hertford will be sitting on the bottom row.
Yet more UC alumni on Only Connect tonight, and another high quality contest in what is proving a most enjoyable series. Review on Wednesday, when I don't have any forgotten plans this week. Not yet anyway.
Good game I thought. The questions were rather interesting tonight. Once Emma pulled away that was it really but it's a shame a decent team like St Peters is out. Perhaps not the best pairing for the second round but as is the way!! Emma are certainly a force; future opponents will have to treat them with respect!
ReplyDeleteA quick glance at blanchflower.org reveals that Emmanuel are only the second institution to reach the QFs or better 3 years in a row. The only other such institution is Manchester, who reached the SFs or better 9 times in a 10 year period between 04-05 and 13-14.
ReplyDeleteEdinburgh and Bristol could also achieve this if they win their 2nd round matches.
Interesting that St Peter’s should be leaving this series on the night that Mr Binnie, who stopped their 2014-15 team at the SF stage, trips the light fantastic on Only Connect.
ReplyDelete