University Challenge 2018-19: Preliminary Quarter-Final 1: Glasgow vs Durham

Evening all. So, here we go with the ever confusing quarter-final stage! It's not that confusing really, you keep playing until you either win twice, in which case you're through to the semis, or lose twice, in which you're out. In fact, this format is now in its tenth year would you believe! In fact, Saturday was the tenth anniversary of that memorable game when Gail Trimble answered 15 starters correctly as her Corpus Christi team beat Exeter 350-15! That was then, this is now...

Glasgow won probably the best match of the first round as they narrowly saw off fellow quarter-finalists Emmanuel 200-175, before just surviving a magnificent fightback from Goldsmiths in the second round, just squeaking through here 135-125. Hoping to recover their first round form tonight were the unchanged foursome of: 
Lewis Barn, from Airdrie, studying Professional Legal Practice 
Freya Whiteford, from Bonybridge near Falkirk, studying Physics with Astrophysics 
Captain: James Hampson, from Helsby in Cheshire, studying Medicine 
Cam Herbert, from Burley-in-Wharfedale in West Yorkshire, studying Sociology with Quantatitive Methods

Durham rocketed through their first match against Strathclyde, ultimately coming home 360-55, before defeating Keble of Oxford only slightly less imperiously in the second round, 200-100 the score on that occasion. Considered by many the team to beat going into the group stage, they were also the same four as before: 
Sian Round, from the Wirral, studying English 
Cameron Yule, from Harrow in London, studying English 
Captain: Matthew Toynbee, from South Derbyshire, studying Maths 
Ben Murray, from Davenham in Cheshire, studying Chemistry

Off we set again then, and Mr Hampson opened the night's scoring with 'Boris Pasternak' (or 'Boris Parsnip' as his name translates into English as!); the Scots side opened their account with two correct bonuses. The Glasgow captain showed he was up for it as he took the second starter as well; just the one bonus again, but Mr Hampson wasn't done yet, taking the third starter as well, and two bonuses on carcinogenic elements meant they already had a 55 point lead. The first picture round, on director's filmographies in their original languages, allowed Durham to open their account; and open it they did, with a full house, which reduced the gap to 55-25.

And it decreased further when Glasgow slipped up on the next starter; Ms Round duly picked up the drop by identifying 'Window' as the word linking a controversial tax to a Hitchcock film (I knew that too), and the Wearsiders pulled within five by taking two bonuses. Mr Toynbee then gave them the lead, and they pushed their advantage home with a full bonus set on 'great crested' birds, including that old quiz staple the Macaroni Penguin! A second starter in a row went to the Durham captain; one bonus was taken, before another starter, from Mr Yule, gave Durham a classic UC bonus set on trios of words caused by adding a letter each time (such as 'rim, grim and grime'), of which they took all three, moving into triple figures.

The music round, on recordings by singer Marian Anderson, went to Glasgow; nothing came from the bonuses though, which left them trailing 110-60. The Scots side did seem to have reawoken now, as Mr Hampson gave them a second starter in a row; again, though, they got nothing from the resulting bonuses, on Sherlock Holmes short stories. Durham then let slip their first penalty of the series, but Glasgow were unable to pick it up; Mr Hampson did take the next starter though, and one bonus on plant derived substances followed. A great buzz from Mr Toynbee saw him work out 34 to be the ninth number in the Fibonacci sequence, but his side too could only follow it up with one bonus.

The second picture round, on French writers known by one name, went to Glasgow, who took just the one bonus again, which left their deficit at 120-100. Still either side's game; Mr Murray moved his side closer to victory with 'jerk', and they pushed advantage home with a full set of bonuses, which put them in the driving seat going into the home straight.

Mr Barn, who I gather was on The Chase last week, kept his side in the game with 'Icarus', but, again, the Scots side drew a blank on the bonuses, Mr Hampson unluckily overruling his teammate's correct suggestion on one of them. Two starters in a row were dropped, Mr Murray finally stopped the rot with 'Bolivia'; just the one bonus followed, but Durham were home and dry now. Mr Toynbee took one more starter just to make sure, and the gong prevented them from answering the first bonus. Durham won, 170-110.

A good game, either team's game until the closing minutes, well played both teams overall. Unlukcy Glasgow, but a fair performance nonetheless, best of luck in the eliminator round. Well played Durham though, another strong showing against good opposition, best of luck in your qualifier match!

The stats: Mr Hampson was the best buzzer of the night, with six starters, while Mr Toynbee was Durham's best with five. On the bonuses, Glasgow converted just 7 out of 24, while Durham managed 17 out of 27, with both sides incurring one penalty, suggesting the game was won largely on the bonuses as well as on the buzzer.

Next week's match: I would imagine Darwin vs Bristol

Only Connect was unusual tonight, with an eliminated team returning to fill in for another team who had to pull out, though not the team I'd have thought would've. All will hopefully become clear when I get my blog done, hopefully on Wednesday.