Despite Stony Brook's point per match average dropping by 10, the quiz team was pleased to find out that they only 1 place, from 4th place to 5th place. Yes, Stony Brook was still a top 5 team in their league :) . Again, Stony Brook quiz coach Graham Holcomb reminded them of the motivation poster "Hang in there!" and explained that hanging in there can sometimes simply mean maintaining the point per match average. Since the team's point per match was at 84, the Stony Brook quiz coach encouraged the team to reach that every match. They could do so by getting team bonus and 1 quiz out. That's what the team aimed for. At Thursday night practice, the quiz team performed at par. It felt like for every buzz in they got correct, they got a buzz in incorrect, and it seemed like for every bonus they got right, they got a bonus wrong. The team definitely need more studying and more practice, but at least the team knew what they need to work on before Sunday.
Sunday afternoon practice looked the same as the last week Sunday afternoon practice. Caleb, Kate and Lauren each had choir (3 different choirs albeit), so Sunday afternoon practice consisted of just Kaylee and Olivia. Kaylee and Olivia had definitely improved from Thursday practices. They had both lists and situations memorized. Overall, again, the 2 performed at par. If one did poorly, the other one did well, and vice versa. After having a dinner of cheeseburger pasta and salad, Graham drove Kaylee and Olvia to the Metzlers. There Lauren also met up with the team. Once Kate got back from choir, the whole quiz team piled into the Metzler van to head to Petra Church for the quiz meet. On the way up, Graham asked the team questions, with the heavy focus on Caleb, Kate and Lauren because they missed practice. Once the team arrived at Petra, the quiz coach had to separate from the quiz team for a coach's meeting. After the coach's meeting concluded, the quiz coach met up with the quiz team.
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| Stony Brook vs. Grace & Truth 2 |
Stony Brook had to wait for the third round for their quiz match versus Grace & Truth 2 in the Petra sanctuary, with Todd Hertzler as the quizmaster. While the quiz team felt intimated by a sanctuary match, especially with the bright lights and microphones, but at least it was not versus home team Petra. On question 1, Kyle of Grace & Truth 2 buzzed in. He babbled for 30 seconds, so much so that the quizmaster had to meet with his judges. After meeting some time, they decided they could not give the points, so the bonus went to Olivia. Olivia knew what Todd Hertzler was looking for, and she got the bonus right. On question 2, Kyle would buzz in again, and this time, he got it correct. On question 3, Olivia buzzed in and answered correctly. On question 4, Caleb tried buzzing in, but unfortunately, he errored. Grace & Truth 2 quizzer Michael would pick up the bonus. After 4 questions, the quiz match was tied at 20 points apiece. At this time, Grace & Truth 2 would take off, with Kyle quizzing out on question 6 and Michae quizzing out on question 9. Olivia must have got frustrated, as she buzzed in consecutively on questions 8 and 9, but she would error on both. After question 9, Graham called a time out, in fear that Olivia would error out with a 3rd error. Kaylee went in as the substitute. During this time, Graham pointed out the 50-point deficit and strongly encouraged the team to go for the team bonus. Kate took that that to heart, as she buzzed in and answered correctly on question 10. Caleb tried again to contribute to team bonus on question 12, but again, it resulted in an error. During questions 11 and 13, Tabitha from Grace & Truth 2 buzzed in answered correctly. Now Tabitha could quiz out with a 3rd right answer, or Jeremiah or Addie could buzz in and give a right answer for team bonus. At this point, Stony Brook could not catch up to the 60-point deficit, so Graham called time out to put Olivia back in, so she could get a quiz out just as much as the team could get team bonus. On question 15, Todd asked, "Satan in the Hebrew is..." and Olivia buzzed in and said her audible word. She thought about it and at first, she said, "The advisory" but then she changed her answer to "The adversary" and got it right for the quiz out, her 6th quiz out of the year. On the last question, Kaylee buzzed in, but unfortunately, she could not come up with the answer that the quizmaster wanted. Even worse, that was the 5th error, and Stony Brook lost 5 points. Not only did Stony Brook lose 5 points, Stony Brook lost the match 40-100.
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| Stony Brook vs. Waterway 2 |
Stony Brook had a break round before their match versus Waterway 2, with Sam Clement as the quizmaster. In the beginning, Waterway 2 owned the buzzing, buzzing in on 5 of the first 6 questions. While that worked for Waterway 2's Gracie, who used all 3 buzz-ins to quiz out by question 6, it did not work for Waterway 2's Alyssa, who errored on both of her buzz ins on questions 1 and 3. Kate took advantage of the bonus, answering both right. The only buzz from Stony Brook within the first 6 questions was Kaylee on question 4, and she answered correctly! Olivia must have been frustrated to not get in so far this match, as she buzzed in and answered correctly twice in a row! Alyssa of Waterway 2 also must have felt frustration not earning any points yet this match, and she buzzed and answered right twice in a row. On question 11, Olivia quizzed out, her 7th on the year. This allowed Caleb to sub in, increasing Stony Brook's chance for team bonus. On question 12, Kaylee buzzed in and answered correctly, her second for the match! Stony Brook was now in the lead 75-50. On question 13, Alyssa from Waterway 2 buzzed in and gave her 3rd right answer for the quiz out, bringing her team only 5 points behind Stony Brook. On question 14, Reagan from Waterway 2 buzzed in. Fortunately for Stony Brook, she answered incorrectly, but unfortunately, Kaylee got the bonus wrong, too. On question 15, Reagan of Waterway 2 would try buzzing in again, and this time, she answered correctly. After 15 questions, Stony Brook lost 75-80. In all honesty, the loss was a heartbreaking shock for the quiz team, as they felt the kept it close in the beginning and took charge in the middle.
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| Stony Brook vs. Petra 5 |
Stony Brook had no time to mourn the loss, as they had back-to-back matches, with the next match versus Petra 5. Olivia started off the match strong for Stony Brook, buzzing in on the first 2 questions. While she answered first one correctly, she could not get the second one. Alivia from Petra 5 would then take charge of the match, buzzing in 3 in a row and answering all 3 right for a quiz out, giving Petra 5 the lead over Stony Brook, 35-10. For the next 2 questions, Petra 5 would commit 2 errors, and Stony Brook would pick up both bonuses, 1 from Kate and 1 from Olivia. Olivia would follow up her right bonus with a correct buzz in, which would result in her 8th quiz out of the year. At this point, Petra 5 would take control of the match. Ella from Petra 5 would buzz in and answer correctly question 9. Next, Shalyn of Petra 5 (formerly of Petra 1, now taking more of an assistant coach role) buzzed in 3 in a row and answered them all right for her own quiz out. Then Ella buzz in and answer questions 13 and 15 correctly, making her the 3rd Petra 5 quizzer to quiz out this match. After question 8, the only time Stony Brook could get in was on question 14 with Kate's right answer, but even that was a bonus. Therefore, Stony Brook lost 55-105.
After 4 quizmeets and 11 quizmatches, Stony Brook now has a record of 4-7. After 4 quizmeets and 11 quizmatches, Stony Brook scored a total of 840 points, with an average of 76 points per match. While not as high as Stony Brook did in its opening week, Stony Brook should still be delighted in its performance. At 840 points, Stony Brook has already scored more than they did last year (730 points last year). At 76 points per match, Stony Brook still has a higher average than it did at point during the season last year (last year, the highest Stony Brook ever got is 70 points per match). Don't forget that Stony Brook has 3 team bonuses, more than the 2 last year. Furthermore, 4 of the 5 Stony Brook quizzers have scored more points than they did last year for a personal all-time high, and 3 of the 5 Stony Brook quizzers have quizzed out more than they did last year for a personal all-time high. And nobody can say "It's just because it's longer season." Nope. This year, Stony Brook beat its records within 4 quizmeets and 11 quizmatches, as opposed to last year, which took 6 quizmeets and 12 quizmatches. And these records, both team records and individual records will only increase as the season continues. Let's see what the Lord has in mind for Stony Brook in the second half of the quizzing season! :)
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