University Challenge 2022-23: Qualification Quarter-Final 2: Bristol vs U.C.L.

Good evening again friends, and welcome back to Quizzy Mondays! After a week where, ironically after what I said last week, I've made the switch back to Radio 2 and Ten to the Top, mainly because my Dad, not having taken to new Popmaster on GHR, has done so as well. Admittedly, we didn't listen to either today, but we will be tomorrow. Anyway, on with tonight's procedings, and normally, at this time of year, UC would be either done or be about to finish, but not this year, as we're still at the second stage of the QFs; winners tonight would go through to the semis.

Bristol lost to Durham in the first round, but have recovered well since with wins over Oriel of Oxford, Queen's of Belfast and, in their preliminary QF, Newnham by 205-110. They were unchanged from those previous games:

Sam Kehler, from Wolverhampton, studying Medicine

Jacob McLaughlin, from Gloucester, studying Economics and Maths

Captain: Tess Richardson, from Reading, studying Chemistry

Alejandro Ortega, from Chalfont St Peter, studying Physics and Philosophy

 

U.C.L. were narrow winners over Sheffield (on a tie-breaker) and Newcastle (by ten points) in the first two rounds, but had an easier win over Jesus in their preliminary, winning 185-115. They were also the same quartet as before:

Rachel Collier, from West London, studying the History of Ancient Greek

Michael Fleetwood-Walker, from the West Midlands, studying Urban Studies

Captain: James Salmon, from Bristol, studying Planetary Science

Louis Collier, from London, studying Maths and Physics

 

So, off we set once again then, and Mr McLaughlin, Bristol's MVP in the earlier shows, was first off the mark for the night with 'Jay Z', which was followed up by two bonuses. Mr Salmon, his side's MVP earlier on, tried to do the same thing on the second starter, but was wrong and lost five; Ms Richardson made no mistake with 'Beech' (the tree, not Don), and the Avonsiders took full advantage with a full bonus set. The Bristol captain took the third starter as well, but, in a reversal of fortunes, no bonuses on constellations were taken. They did also take the first picture round though, on dramatis personae displayed along class lines; a single bonus took their lead to 70-(-5).

It was their turn to lost five on the next starter though; U.C.L. didn't pick up, but Mr Collier finally got them some positive points on the next starter, and bonuses on history, in which, ironically after what I said earlier, they were allowed to be 'ONE YEAR OUT!', gave them two correct bonuses. Back came Bristol with Mr Kehler's answer of 'Cyrene', which was followed by a single bonus on proteins, but also by another loss of five on the next starter; this time, Mr Fleetwood-Walker did take the points for U.C.L., which they followed up with another two bonuses, on ghosts in Shakespeare. The music round, on artists who regularly feature on the annual Pazz and Jop poll, went to Bristol; one correct bonus took their lead to 90-35.

And up it went as Mr McLaughlin took the next starter, asking for three rhyming words (which happened a lot back when I first started watching regularly, but not so much nowadays); just one bonus followed, but another penalty from U.C.L. increased the lead again further. And when Mr McLaughlin took the next starter, and a full set of bonuses on economical and scientific terms, Bristol suddenly led by 100 points. That was until Ms Collier identified 'altitude and latitude' for the next starter, which was followed by a single bonus, and then a second starter and sole bonus to the Londoners in a row. The second picture round, on European Holocaust memorials, went to Bristol though, and a full set of bonuses reopened their lead to 155-60.

And when Mr Kehler took the next starter, and yet another full bonus set, on pharmacology, went to the Avonsiders, that was game over. U.C.L. did take another starter, and two bonuses on philosophy, only to lose half the bonus points to another penalty. Mr McLaughlin identified 'Booth' as the surname of, among others, the founder of the Salvation Army for the next starter, but one bonus meant they fell just short of 200. Another U.C.L. penalty handed them a tap-in to do so on the last starter of the game though, though they didn't get either of the bonuses there was time for. At the gong, Bristol won 205-70.

Another rather one sided contest, but, again, the two teams involved made it still a watchable one. Very well done to Bristol, another strong performance, on the buzzer especially, and, having done it against one of the other strongest teams of the series, they might now be the current favourites for the title; very best of luck to them in the semis! Hard lines to U.C.L., but we know they're a better team than this and they did the right thing in carrying on buzzing in; best of luck to them in the play-offs!

The stats: Mr McLaughlin was the best buzzer of the night with five, while Mr Fleetwood-Walker was best for U.C.L. with two. On the bonuses, Bristol managed 19 out of 35 (with two penalties) and U.C.L. 8 out of 15 (with four penalties).

Next week's match: Newnham vs Jesus

Mastermind’s penultimate semi-final was very close indeed, with George Scratcherd and Stuart Field both finishing with 23 points, but the latter just edging it with one pass to Mr Scratcherd’s four. William Andrews came just behind with 22, while Ben Whitworth completed the line-up with 18.