University Challenge 2023-24: Round 2: Match 3: Emmanuel vs Christ Church

Good evening my friends, and welcome back to JOW! Another packed Monday of quizzing today, the antepenultimate we have a full line-up including Brain of Britain for. Starting, as usual, with UC though, and tonight we welcomed back two teams who won successive first round matches back in August, one comfortably, one a tad more narrowly, but against a team who survived to the repechage.

Emmanuel College Cambridge beat Jesus College Oxford in their first match, pulling away after a closely fought start and ultimately running out easy winners 240-60. They were the same foursome as before:

Jerry Chen, from Glasgow, studying Medicine

Alex Sutton, from Reading, studying Biological Anthropology

Captain: Jaya Alagar, from Pennsylvania, studying Population Health Sciences

Alexander Harrison, from Cardiff, studying Chemical Engineering

 

Christ Church Oxford had a closer win over Southampton, trailing at first, before pulling level and eventually into the lead, before a late sprint from their opponents wasn't quite enough, as they won 180-155. They were also the same quartet as before:

Eliza Dean, from Edinburgh, studying Classics and French

Melika Gorgianeh, from Leeds, studying Astrophysics

Captain: Arthur Wotton, from Cardiff, studying Spanish

Elliot Lowe, from Thames Ditton in Surrey, studying Classics

 

So, off we set once again then, and Emmanuel scored first as Ms Alagar took a captain's innings, and followed it up with two bonuses on French artists; Christ Church responded in kind with a starter and pair of bonuses, only to then lose five to an interruption. Emmanuel took the points, but no bonuses, allowing their opponents to quickly pull level again, and then the lead with the first picture round, on flags featuring horses, after which the Oxonians led 55-30. Back came Emmanuel with three starters in a row, including two from Mr Harrison, their MVP of the first round, but just three bonuses from nine kept Christ Church in touch, as proven when they then took a starter and two bonuses to pull level. The music round, on pop songs whose music videos were directed by Tanu Muino, gave the Oxonians the lead back 95-75.

Back came Emmanuel again as Mr Harrison took a starter that is now out of date (Forest Green are no longer in League One); just one bonus followed, but, as Christ Church lost another five on the next starter, it was enough to pull them level again. The Oxonians quickly pulled ahead again with the next starter though, but they failed to score with their bonuses. For the next starter, 'Mayor of Aldeburgh' was enough for me to declare 'Elizabeth Garrett Anderson', but neither side took this old chestnut. Mr Wotton took the next starter to increase his side's lead, followed up by two bonuses. The second picture round, on paintings of giants, went to Emmanuel though, as did two bonuses of their own, which cut the gap to 120-110. A penalty handed Christ Church the initiative back though, with two starters putting them within sight of victory; the bonuses were a struggle though, none of the six, kept the door open. Emmanuel went for it with a starter and a quick full bonus set, but when Mr Harrison zigged with 'geometry', allowing Ms Dean to zag with 'triganometry', that was game over. At the gong, Christ Church won 155-130.

 

A close contest, despite the low scores, both sides rather struggling with the bonuses I thought. Well done to Christ Church nonetheless, and best of luck in the QFs! Hard lines to Emmanuel, a decent team who can consider themselves unfortunate to go out now, but a fair showing to go out on, thanks for playing!

 

The stats: Messrs Harrison and Wotton and Ms Dean were joint best buzzers of the night with five each for their respective teams. On the bonuses, Emmanuel managed 11 out of 24 (with one penalty) and Christ Church 13 out of 30 (with two penalties), so both teams did OK on the buzzer, but did indeed have difficulty with the bonuses.

Next week's match: Hertford vs U.C.L.

Only Connect’s penultimate play-off was another avoidable rematch, with the Solomons Family and the Video Nasties playing again. The latter led 7-3 after the first round, and 12-10 after the second. A better wall saw the Solomonses close the gap to 18-17 going into Missing Vowels, but the Nasties just hung on in that to win 25-24!

 

Mastermind was also very tight and, indeed, went right to the wire, with Oli Hanson and Scott Dalgleish finishing tied on 21 each! The former won the resulting tie-break 4-3 to scrape through to the next round! Tom de Salis finished just behind them both with 20, with Angela Hawke completing the line-up with 14.

 

Brain of Britain’s third semi-final was also another very close one, ending, for the second week in a row, on a tie-breaker! (Albeit between just two players this time!) Eleanor Ayres and Sue Brearley both ended up on 12, with twelve each, and it was the former who took the tie-breaker and, with it, the penultimate place in the final! (Slapped wrists to TPTB for publishing the line-up for the final on the BBC website! Thankfully, I stopped scrolling before I could have the result of next week’s show spoiled.) Jason Butler and John Esling also competed, finishing with 8 and 9 respectively.