RIO DE JANEIRO -- As an assistant coach for Britains womens field hockey team, Craig Parnham always admired the United States.Now the head coach of the American womens squad, he recalled why in the moments after a 6-1 rout over Japan at the Olympics last week.USA have always had a huge heart, great spirit, great passion, great drive -- they never give in, Parnham said. When I was working with other teams, we would always see those as big threats of the USA, and when you see it firsthand, you see it for what it is.Just four years ago, those intangible qualities were about all the Americans had going for themselves when they faced elite programs. Parnhams job when the United States hired him in 2013 was to improve the teams skill and fitness and turn the Americans into contenders for major titles. The players bought into his approach, and now the 43-year-old British coach has guided a squad that finished last at the 2012 London Games to a 4-1 record in pool play four years later.The Americans are in a position to make a run at their first medal since earning bronze in 1984. They play Germany in the quarterfinals on Monday.We just are meshing, U.S. striker Katie Bam said. Its just our time.The players met shortly after Parnham became coach, and he left them to decide their goals. Once he learned they wanted to rank among the best teams in the world, he put them in position to make that vision realistic.Hes opened our communication lines, U.S. defender Lauren Crandall said. Hes really allowed us to drive our program. Hes given us the power. Hes told us, figure out your goals, figure out your vision and drive this bus forward.Because the players have the power, they correct themselves.He creates a culture where the team are accountable, USA field hockey executive director Simon Hoskins said. I think that really works with todays modern athlete. To me, he really is the epitome of the modern elite coach.There were plenty of losses along the way. But then, the United States won the Pan American Games in 2015 and finished third in the Champions Trophy event in June. Their No. 5 world ranking is their highest ever.The United States opened the Olympics with 2-1 victories over No. 2 Argentina and No. 3 Australia, then set a U.S. womens Olympic record with six goals against No. 10 Japan. The Americans beat India, then faltered late to drop their final pool play match to Britain. The United States finished second in the pool and already has set a program high for wins at an Olympics.Its been 3+ years of hard work, Parnham said. We got together and established a program we thought was going to be useful. Weve been working on all aspects of our game -- physical, mental, technical, tactical. Im pleased for the team, Im pleased for U.S. hockey. Things are moving along nicely.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP Cheap SWell Bottle . Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game. Swell Drink Bottles Liberty . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. http://www.swellbottlesclearance.com/swell-bottles-liberty.html . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Swell Bottle Elements Collection . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Swell Bottle Resort Collection . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. Queensland 5 for 338 (Renshaw 108, Khawaja 106, Zampa 3-92) v South AustraliaScorecard Usman Khawaja scored a century to secure his Test place and young opener Matt Renshaw also impressed with a hundred, but incumbent Test opener Joe Burns failed on the first day of Queenslands Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at the Gabba.Burns was one of the Test batsmen most in need of Shield runs, after he fell for 1 and 0 in Australias loss to South Africa in Hobart, where he was caught down leg side in the second innings. The same unfortunate fate befell him in Brisbane, where on 4 he tried to glance Kane Richardson only to see the South Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey dive to his left to complete a fine catch.Burns has been dropped from the Test side during Australias tour of Sri Lanka but was recalled to replace the injured Shaun Marsh in Hobart, having started the Shield season with 129. However, a pair of single-figure scores followed in Queenslands next Shield game, and including the Test match his past five first-class scores now read: 4, 7, 1, 0 and 4.Should the selectors decide to cut Burns for the Adelaide Test, one of the candidates to replace him could be his team-mate Renshaw, who is only 20 but in this match brought up his third first-class century. An old-fashioned accumulator who views himself in the Alastair Cook mould, Renshhaw played a fine openers innings, seeing off the swinging new ball before becoming more expansive.ddddddddddddfter the first hour of play, Renshaw had just 7 off 56 balls, but he played a valuable stabilising role as Khawaja scored more freely at the other end. His half-century took 137 deliveries, although he was able to attack the legspinner Adam Zampa and his scoring rate increased as the innings wore on. Playing his first Shield game of the season after recovering from a knee injury, Renshaw brought up his hundred off 190 balls, and he was caught on the boundary off Zampa for 108.Though not mentioned by coach Darren Lehmann as one of the four safe members of Australias Test XI, Khawaja was always unlikely to lose his place having managed 97 and 64 in the first two Tests. His century at the Gabba, an attractive 106 from 137 deliveries, ensured that he would remain part of the side.After Khawaja and Renshaw - who put on 184 for the second wicket - both fell, Marnus Labuschagne made 47, and by stumps Queensland were on 5 for 338, with Jack Wildermuth on 33 and Chris Hartley on 20. South Australia were without fast bowler Joe Mennie, who was rested after his Test debut, and Test aspirant Chadd Sayers went wicketless. ' ' '